Educational surveillance proposals in Asia

In Tamil Nadu, India, government school teachers have proposed installing CCTV cameras and implementing stricter supervision for the 2026-27 Class 10 and Class 12 public examinations. The Tamil Nadu Higher Secondary Headmasters’ Association suggested that surveillance could increase accountability, protect students, and address misconduct. Proposed reforms also include changing invigilator appointment processes and reviewing mobile phone policies for chief invigilators. However, the Directorate of Government Examinations noted the high cost of equipping thousands of examination centres.

Similarly, in Vietnam, the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET) has proposed installing surveillance cameras in all examination rooms for the 2027 high school graduation exams. This follows a 2026 examination cycle that saw an increase in rule violations, including 89 student suspensions and 14 cases of mobile phone cheating. The 2026 cycle involved over 1.2 million students, the largest cohort to date, and included instances of organized misconduct, such as at Tuyen Quang High School for the Gifted, which resulted in the prosecution of 41 individuals.

To combat sophisticated high-tech cheating, MOET is considering using handheld security scanners to detect prohibited technology and mixing students from different schools at testing sites to mitigate collusion. Proposed camera installations would also facilitate post-exam verification. Experts suggest these measures should be part of a broader strategy, including increasing supervisor independence through rotation, implementing cross-checks, and involving retired educators to minimize conflicts of interest. Additionally, the Ministry of Public Security has suggested analyzing post-exam data and comparing exam scores with academic records to identify potential fraud. Officials emphasized that policy must shift toward “proactive risk management and early prevention” rather than relying solely on post-exam punishment.