Tech firm launches tool to protect exam integrity

A Leeds-based technology firm has launched a new tool designed to detect cheating and strengthen trust in online examinations.

Online examination platform Synap has developed Synoptic, an integrated proctoring solution combining configurable monitoring, artificial intelligence-assisted evidence gathering and audit trails.

The launch follows calls from Ofqual chief regulator Ian Bauckham for exam boards to clamp down on cheating amid growing concerns around the use of AI in assessed work.

Synoptic aims to provide stronger evidence of potential misconduct without relying on continuous live surveillance.

Institutions, training providers and businesses can adjust security controls depending on an assessment’s risk level, while sessions can be recorded for live or post-exam review.

AI-assisted features flag potentially suspicious activity for human invigilators to assess, reducing the need to review hours of footage.

Synap says the technology can also operate in low-bandwidth environments and brings exam delivery and proctoring together within a single platform.

The system features platform-wide encryption and adheres to ISO/IEC 27001 information security standards.

Dr James Gupta, chief executive of Synap, said: “While online exams have expanded rapidly in recent years, third-party proctoring tools have faced growing criticism for intrusive candidate monitoring, inconsistent flagging and data compliance concerns. 

“At the same time, as online exams became more pervasive across sectors, tools like generative AI and wearable tech have also made cheating much harder to detect and prove. 

“The conversation shouldn't be whether online exams can be trusted. 

“It should be whether institutions are using technology that deserves to be trusted.”

James added: “We wanted to offer a more seamless exam experience, so we created Synoptic to embed proctoring directly into the exam lifecycle

“Online exams have the potential to make education more accessible, but without clear processes and audit trails, those trying to scale these benefits will find themselves suspecting malpractice they cannot prove. 

“That puts academic integrity at risk, and places rule-following candidates at the greatest disadvantage, which is inherently unfair.

“We didn’t develop Synoptic just to make it easier to identify cheating; we designed it to protect both sides of the exam experience, giving institutions and professional users the evidence they need, while ensuring candidates are monitored fairly and tested securely, regardless of their location or internet connection.”

Want your business, product or service to be seen regionally and nationally? Bdaily helps you get your story in front of the right audience, every day. Find out how Bdaily can help →

Join more than 55,000 subscribers by signing up to our daily bulletin each morning here.