Maharashtra: Biometric Verifications to be Conducted for Candidates Appearing for Government Exams

Mumbai: In a bid to ensure transparency in government job exams, which are plagued by paper leaks and dummy nominations, the health department has taken an important decision. Biometric verification of the candidate who appeared for the examination physically and of the selected candidate will be done. If a dummy candidate has appeared for the exam, this verification will reveal the matter.

On August 28, 2023, the state government released the advertisement for a total of 10,949 posts of Group C and D cadre in the health department. The online exam was conducted from November 30, 2023, to December 12, 2023. Fingerprints and photographs of the candidates were taken through biometrics at the examination center during the examination. 

Appointments in 10 cadres till February 8

The interim selection and waiting lists and merit lists for the posts in 10 cadres were published on the department's website on February 2, 2024, as part of the recruitment process, which is being implemented to address the backlog of vacant posts in the health department. 

These 10 cadres include a dietitian, junior observer, radiography technician, tap artisan, senior security assistant, dental health worker, junior technical assistant, osteopathy technician, home and textile keeper, librarian, etc. 
The appointments in these 10 cadres will be made by February 8, while the interim selection list and waiting list of the remaining cadres will be released in eight days and appointments will also be made soon, the health department said. 

The health department has released the selection list and the fingerprints and photographs taken through biometrics of the candidates in the selection list and the fingerprints and photographs of the candidates who appeared for the actual examination will be finalized. This will be done during the scrutiny of documents for which one nodal officer has been appointed for each district and one inspector for each center. 

In direct service recruitment, if all departments verify in this way, dummy candidates will be put under pressure. This will help students who take the exam honestly. 
- Mahesh Gharbude, Working President, Competitive Examination Coordination Committee

CCTV recording, biometric attendance and iris screening facilities were provided by TCS, which is responsible for the examination. Electronics Corporation of India Ltd. (ECIL) also arranged 5G mobile jammers at the Centre during the examination period.