Deploying The Third Eye

MeritTrac wanted to install surveillance solutions at its testing centers
to better monitor candidates who appear for different examinations. D-Link India
took this opportunity, to provide MaritTrac greater transparency in examinations
besides capturing the candidate's psychological behavior and confidence level

With the evolution in technology and custo- mer requirements, surveillance is
emerging as a tool to remotely access the critical environment. This helps
organizations to have a better control on its operations.

This is what MeritTrac too realized. An independent assessment company,
MeritTrac provides services for measuring employees' job-specific compe­tencies.
It offers corporate houses and educational institutions end-to-end assessment
and support solution. MeritTrac assessment zones are equipped with online
testing environment along with evaluators and trained administrators.

To ensure that there was transparency in the entire examination process, the
company decided to technically upgrade its infrastructure. It decided to work
with D-Link India, in a project for providing complete surveillance solution
across all its campuses through­out the country. The main objective of MeritTrac
was to develop an environment where examination halls could be monitored by
tools that are sharper and more vigilant than human eyes.

“Our client wanted us to install IP cameras and web cameras at their testing
centers across the country so that they can better monitor the candidates who
appear for different examinations,”shared Andrew Manuel, Project Manager, D-Link
India.

Why IP cameras?

D-Link positioned IP-based cameras in each of the classrooms of the testing
centers that could be monitored from any part of the world. The installation of
cameras was done not just with the objective of tightening the security in the
examination center, but to also do psychoanalysis tests of the candidates who
appear for exam.

In the examination center, each computer was installed with web cameras
focused on the candidates sitting in front of the machine. This helps the
examiners in analyzing the movement pattern of the candidate and testing their
confidence level.

D-Link started working on the project one and a half years back, and has
provided the client with the security solutions in its different branches across
the country. The company has also taken the task of providing all kinds of
technical assistance and guidance.

How the solution helped

Once the surveillance solution was deployed, it became convenient for
MeritTrac to monitor the candidates and record their activities during the
test. It has reduced the probability of malpractices in the centers.

The surveillance solution is also equipped to detect slightest motion and if
any movement is noticed, the camera detects it, takes snapshot of the same, and
it is mailed or uploaded through the mail server or web server. Moreover,
candidates appearing for the examination are informed in advance about the
installed security solutions so any intention of getting into malpractices was
wiped off at the first stage itself.

“Since the IP cameras were installed, it has become very easy for us to
monitor the examination centers and our clients for whom we conduct tests are
also content with the service. Now, more and more clients are coming forward to
hold their tests at our locations, ” shared Ashok Ranjana, IT Head, MeritTrac.

With the successful comple­tion of this project, D-Link has offered MeritTrac
greater customer value by overcoming its logistical challenges. The innovation
has also opened up opportunities for the client

to engage with the educational institutions in migrating security intensive
academic examination processes to the online medium.

Amrita Tejasvi

amritat@cybermedia.co.in