UPSC deploys AI, disqualifying 569 early CSE 2026 applicants
For CSE 2026, UPSC brought in AI to help sort through applications, something they've never done before.
The result? 569 candidates were disqualified right at the start, mostly for submitting duplicate forms or going over their allowed attempts or age limit.
It's all about making the process fairer and more transparent from day one.
Aadhaar verified 94% applicants
This year, 94% of the 818,000 applicants verified themselves with Aadhaar.
For the rest, AI compared names, parents' names, birth dates, and photos against a massive 15-year database, even checking if someone changed their category to get extra attempts.
UPSC Chairman Ajay Kumar said these steps are meant to stop fraud early on and give everyone a level playing field.
This shift also meant fewer people applied for the prelims, 818,000 this year versus last year's 950,000 applicants.