The DIGI-EXAM is a proposed concept for a continuous, multi-stage digital identity framework aimed at reforming the examination process in India. The concept was recommended by a seven-member high-level committee on exam reforms, headed by former ISRO chief R Radhakrishnan, with the report made public in December 2024. The committee was formed following allegations of the NEET-UG paper leak, and the system is designed to prevent fraud and impersonation in high-stakes entrance examinations.
The mechanism is conceptually modelled on the DigiYatra system used in civil aviation. It mandates multi-stage authentication of the candidate's identity using Aadhaar and biometrics, including facial recognition. This verification is intended to occur at four key stages: application, venue entry, seating, and final admission. The system also incorporates AI-based data analytics to detect suspicious registration or seat-clustering patterns associated with organised malpractice.
The DIGI-EXAM concept is a central part of the recommended structural reforms for the National Testing Agency (NTA). The committee also recommended transitioning from pen-and-paper tests to Computer Based Test (CBT) as the preferred methodology and establishing 1,000 secure Standard Testing Centres. While the recommendation is recent, the unified DIGI-EXAM authentication architecture was operating only in pilot form across three states as of May 2026. The long-term roadmap targets the full integration of the four-stage biometric 'DIGI-EXAM' authentication lifecycle by 2027.