Candidates appearing for the Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 will undergo AI-based facial recognition verification at examination centres as part of a new identity authentication mechanism being introduced by the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs). The technology will be deployed across all examination centres to match candidates’ faces with the photographs submitted during the application process.IIM Indore Director Himanshu Rai confirmed that the AI-based facial recognition system would be introduced for the first time during CAT 2026. The examination is scheduled to be conducted on November 29, 2026.The new mechanism is aimed at strengthening candidate authentication and streamlining identity verification during the examination process. However, candidates will continue to undergo physical verification of their admit cards, as followed in previous years.
CAT 2026 facial recognition system: What candidates need to know
Clarifying the implementation of the technology, Rai said the facial recognition mechanism would be introduced at every CAT 2026 examination centre. The system will verify the identity of candidates by comparing their faces with the photographs uploaded during registration.He also reassured candidates that the existing physical verification procedure would remain in place alongside the AI-based mechanism. This means candidates will not be denied entry solely because of technical glitches or the system’s inability to recognise their faces.The additional verification arrangement is expected to provide an alternative safeguard during the examination entry process, ensuring that technical failures do not unnecessarily disrupt candidates’ participation.
IIM Indore testing AI technology before implementation
IIM Indore is currently testing the facial recognition technology to assess its accuracy and identify whether any modifications are required before its deployment. The exercise is intended to evaluate the system’s performance and ensure that it functions effectively across examination centres.Rai also clarified that the institute would not maintain a database of candidates through this mechanism. The technology will be used exclusively for matching the candidate appearing at the examination centre with the photograph provided during the application process.The clarification comes amid growing attention around the use of artificial intelligence in examination administration, particularly concerning candidate verification and the handling of personal information.
CAT Committee to oversee examination-related decisions
Rai further clarified that decisions concerning CAT’s examination procedures, operational arrangements and technological interventions are taken collectively by the CAT Committee. The introduction of facial recognition is, therefore, not an independent decision taken by IIM Indore.The CAT examination is conducted under the supervision of the designated IIM, with the responsibility for organising the examination rotating among the participating institutes. IIM Indore is the organising institute for CAT 2026.
AI integration expands across IIM Indore’s academic programmes
The introduction of facial recognition for CAT 2026 also comes against the backdrop of IIM Indore’s broader efforts to integrate artificial intelligence into its academic and institutional framework.Rai said the institute was progressively incorporating AI into its academic programmes to prepare students to understand and adapt to emerging technological developments. According to him, artificial intelligence has become an integral component of several courses across the institute’s programmes.The institute’s approach reflects the growing role of AI in management education, where students are increasingly expected to understand emerging technologies and their applications across industries.
CAT 2026 examination date and registration details
IIM Indore will conduct CAT 2026 on November 29. The examination is one of the country’s most competitive management entrance tests and serves as an admission gateway to postgraduate management programmes offered by the IIMs and several other participating institutions.Nearly 2.9 lakh candidates have registered for this year’s examination, underlining the scale of the national-level entrance test.With AI-based facial recognition being introduced alongside conventional admit card verification, candidates will encounter an additional identity authentication step at examination centres this year. However, the institute has clarified that the new technology will not replace physical verification or become the sole basis for granting entry to the examination.
