State Police Introduce Timing Chips and Face Scans for 3,800 Constable Tests
The state police recruitment wing has introduced timing chips, facial recognition scans, and senior supervisory committees for physical endurance tests in the ongoing recruitment drive for 3,800 civil police constables. The technological upgrades, launched five years after the previous large-scale recruitment drive, aim to prevent fraud, eliminate manual errors, and accelerate result publication across districts.
The written examination for the positions has already concluded without allegations of malpractice, and the department is now working to prevent procedural lapses during the physical evaluations. Range-level Inspectors General of Police or Deputy Inspectors General of Police will replace district police superintendents in overseeing the tests. A supervisory committee headed by the range IGP will manage the proceedings to enforce uniform procedures and prevent local interference.
To standardise test conditions, the department will conduct the physical evaluations at Karnataka State Reserve Police grounds instead of district Armed Reserve Police grounds. Officers drawn from the respective KSRP units will assist in conducting the trials and strengthening monitoring across all test centres.
Under the upgraded protocol, officials will scan candidates' faces at entry gates to verify that registered applicants appear for the tests and deter impersonation. Running times, which were previously recorded manually using stopwatches, will now be tracked electronically using marathon-style wearable devices. A timing chip attached to each candidate's ankle will record exact start and finish times during the 1.6-kilometre run, which candidates must complete within six minutes and 30 seconds.
Officials stated that the chip-based setup eliminates the scope for manual timing errors or alteration. Performance results are scheduled to be transmitted via text message to a candidate's registered mobile number within seconds of crossing the finish line, providing immediate confirmation of their test timings.
The department expects to publish district-wise results within 24 hours of each physical test session. The measures follow concerns over recruitment irregularities in the state, including the 2021 police sub-inspector recruitment case. Officials warned that strict action will be taken against anyone attempting malpractice.
