The qualitative merit of education and learning has never beenmeasured more by the quality assurance of its outcomes than it istoday – in the age of online learning, testing and certifications.While the phenomenon of examination malpractice is not new, themass transmission of professional examinations to the onlineplatform has placed a huge challenge in front of educators andadministrators of devising new techniques to protect the integrityof exams.

The turn of the decade has seen increased activity in theoffering and adoption of Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) andonline professional certifications. However, where technology worksto simplify and automate processes, it also creates new trials.With the increased reliability on technology for test-delivery,there is a high-level of experimentation being conducted tomaintain test credibility as well.

Among the many methods, proctoring, where a monitor oversees acandidate appearing for the test, has worked well in containingcheating at test centers. However, for online exams anddistance-learning programs where the candidate may physically be inanother location, or remote testing where candidates may be allowedto take an exam from home, the challenges are often magnified. Howdoes one identify a cheat when they're not even in the same testroom?

The issue of test validity can be understood in the context thatone small misstep can potentially damage an entire institution'sreputation and halt the expansion of any further onlineofferings.

For a concern so grave, the solution is refreshingly simple.Remote online proctoring is a technology so forward-looking thatone wonders why more academic programs haven't integrated it as adefault test-delivery mechanism.

In a typical online test environment, it's sometimes difficultto even be sure that candidates are who they say they are. Remoteonline proctoring creates a secure testing setting by using awebcam to pick out any dubious motion employed by a candidatetaking the test. Mettl.com has created an auto-invigilationalgorithm that tracks candidate behavior using a live webcam feed,static images, audio and even eye-movement reading. Even before acandidate gets in to take a test, the software makes it possible toverify candidate credentials by using IP address restrictions. Thehighlight of the offering is its ability to go beyond tracing anattempt to cheat.

What do you do when you can see a candidate is speaking tosomeone beside him or referring to a book while taking the test?What a waste if you had to wait until the end of the test toannounce that the exam is void. Mettl's software provides browserlockdown, limited copy-paste or printscreen functionality, warningmessage activation, and more to prevent unfair practices within thescope of the test.

Proof of the convenience is corroborated by the businessescustomizing test-delivery options to include remote proctoring,allowing them to expand their reach into previously unservicedareas. Universities are now allowing candidates from foreigncountries to take entrance exams. Businesses are hiring the besttalent from across the world without the limitation of testingcandidates only at their home location. Professional programs areconducting certifications for those who previously lacked the timeto make it to test centers.

Another dimension being explored involves interactive questionsthat make it much harder to “game” the system. For example, on aninsurance exam there may be spreadsheets that are difficult toreplicate in addition to conventional multiple choice questions.Certain cases might require little or no proctoring to provide thesame degree of exam integrity.

As more and more academic, business, and social institutionstake to online learning and testing as a way of expanding theirofferings, technologies such as remote online proctoring will befurther refined to provide cutting-edge solutions for maintainingexam integrity.

Ketan Kapoor is the co-founder & CEO of Mettl.