The West Bengal government’s Higher Education Department will use an application-driven AI in its centralised admission portal to detect and eliminate fake applications for undergraduate college students. 

The initiative aims to enhance the integrity and efficiency of the admission process by ensuring that only genuine applications are considered. The system, which was pilot-tested during last year’s admission, will be deployed this year with minor modifications.

In 2020, Asutosh College in Kolkata made headlines when the name of Bollywood actress Sunny Leone featured in its English merit list. This took place due to the submission of a fake application during the college’s online admission process.

Several other prank applications used the names of celebrities, including footballers like Messi and Ronaldo, in the application, which added to the embarrassment faced by the college. The Higher Education Department hopes that the AI will curb such incidents in the future.

According to officials, the use of advanced technology in this manner reflects a significant step forward in combating fraudulent activities during admission.

AI uses the latest technology, and the portal will be able to identify fake candidates by examining ID proof, mobile numbers, names, and images. Last year, there were 50 lakh applications from around 4 lakh candidates in the first phase.

Using an AI tool, several cases were found where the names and images of applications didn’t match, and those applications were blocked. As per reports, multiple cybercafes were identified as places where fake applications were created.

“I am optimistic there will be even fewer fake profiles this year…We even have a mechanism that can recognise images,” an official reportedly said.

College principals have expressed support for the centralised portal, noting that it streamlines the application process, reduces administrative burdens, and effectively filters out fraudulent submissions. Officials are optimistic that the enhanced AI technology will further improve the integrity and efficiency of the college admission process.

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