India, Nov. 12 -- The Common Admission Test (CAT) 2026 will use artificial intelligence (AI)-based facial recognition to verify candidates' identities at examination centres for the first time, with the technology being introduced on an experimental basis alongside the existing physical verification process, Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Indore director Himanshu Rai said on Wednesday.

The AI-based system will act as an additional check and will not replace verification through CAT admit cards by examination officials. Candidates will not be denied entry even if the technology fails to recognise their faces, Rai told HT.

"We are not doing it independent of the physical verification. The physical verification will obviously happen ...