Canadian grad school students are showing concern over the use of biometric scanners used to authenticate test takers who wish to gain entrance into business and medical programs, according to the Toronto Star.

To eliminate cheating the system is designed to prevent students from hiring someone to take the test for them, but some students feel it is a violation of their personal rights.

Toronto student Ajanthy Arasaratnam considers the system an invasion of privacy. “I was bothered by having to have my palm scanned for the GMAT test; it was done under duress because you can’t write the GMAT test without the palm scan and you can’t apply for the program without the test,” said Arasaratnam.

But Rick Powers, executive director of the University of Toronto’s MBA program, seem to support the use of biometric scanners – having once caught an individual who had been hired by five different people to take a test for them. “It’s unfortunate some people want to cheat to get the higher scores you need for better-known programs,” says Powers. One test official stated that a husband went as far to wear a dress to take the test for his wife.

Similar systems were used for LSAT entrance exams at law schools, but Canadian student’s claimed the system was violating privacy rights by requiring a thumbprint. The commission agreed and now only a photo ID is required for acceptance.

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