Impersonator attempting to appear for CET exam caught during QR code verification, probe order

BENGALURU: A candidate who tried to write the CET exam at the last minute was identified as an imposter by a QR code-based facial recognition app at Silver Valley Public PU College, 7th Cross, Malleswaram. Following this, an investigation has been ordered.

The impersonator, identified as Tuba Fatima Jamil, was posing as Tabu Naz and tried to take the mathematics exam using a fake identity card with the latter’s photo and incorrect exam dates. The QR code-based facial recognition app developed by the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA) detected the impersonation attempt.

When Tuba Fatima Jamil arrived late, she went straight to the restroom and stayed there until the exam was about to start. When the exam was about to start, she came out and showed her admit card with the QR code and tried to enter the exam hall. At that time, when her photograph was taken through the facial recognition app and it was found that she was impersonating.

The Karnataka Examination Authority’s Executive Director H Prasanna and Administrative Officer Islamuddin Gadyal visited the examination centre of Government PU College on 18th Cross Road, Malleswaram on Thursday to oversee the process and personally checked the candidates through the QR code-based facial recognition app.

#UGCET-25 ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಪರೀಕ್ಷಾ ಕೇಂದ್ರವೊಂದಕ್ಕೆ ಇಂದು ಭೇಟಿ ನೀಡಿದ #KEA ED ಎಚ್.ಪ್ರಸನ್ನ, #AO ಇಸ್ಲಾವುದ್ದೀನ್ ಗದ್ಯಾಳ ಅವರು ಕ್ಯೂಆರ್ ಕೋಡ್ ಮೂಲಕ ಮುಖ ಚಹರೆ ಪತ್ತೆ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆಯನ್ನು ಪರಿಶೀಲಿಸಿದರು. ಸ್ವತಃ ಕ್ಯೂಆರ್ ಕೋಡ್ ಸ್ಕ್ಯಾನ್ ಮಾಡಿ ವಿದ್ಯಾರ್ಥಿಗಳ ಭಾವಚಿತ್ರ ತೆಗೆದು ನೈಜತೆ ಪರಿಶೀಲಿಸಿದರು@CMofKarnataka@drmcsudhakar pic.twitter.com/ZXIbZnw6hR

— ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ಪರೀಕ್ಷಾ ಪ್ರಾಧಿಕಾರ KEA (@KEA_karnataka) April 17, 2025

The KEA Director reported that Tuba Fatima Jamil had glued her photo on to Tabu Naz’s admission card. It is also known that she had entered the exam dates incorrectly. The college principal has been instructed to submit a report with video footage in this regard. “The authorities have ordered an investigation and legal action will be taken following the report, including video footage, from the college principal”, he said.

Tuba Fatima Jamil walked out of the college as soon as the matter was brought to the notice of the principal, said H. Prasanna in a press statement.

The KEA’s new QR code-based facial recognition system has proven effective in detecting impersonators. The system worked smoothly without any technical issues on its second day of implementation. The officers expressed appreciation regarding the functioning of app, developed and implemented for the first time by KEA. Both the officials themselves scanned the QR code, took photographs of the students and verified their authenticity.