• First fully digital public exam aimed to boost transparency and fairness
• Technical failures caused major delays and disrupted test conditions
• Issues raise concerns ahead of broader digital recruitment plans

Mauritania on March 29 held its first fully digital public exam to recruit inspectors and engineers for the national police, in a bid to modernize hiring and improve transparency.

The process relied on online applications, automated screening, and exam-day technologies such as facial recognition and tablet-based testing. Authorities said 1,459 candidates applied online, with 513 selected after automated verification of their files. Artificial intelligence tools were also used to check the authenticity of submitted information and notify rejected applicants.

On exam day, candidates were identified through facial recognition systems before taking multiple-choice tests on individual tablets. The setup included built-in cameras and in-room monitoring, with grading expected to be fully automated and results published immediately.

But the rollout did not go as planned.

According to participants and accounts shared on social media, the exam started nearly six hours late due to connectivity issues and malfunctioning devices. The allotted time was cut from three hours to just 90 minutes, with no adjustment to the difficulty of the questions.

Many candidates reported technical problems, including tablets shutting down mid-exam and facial recognition systems failing to work properly. The issues caused widespread disruption and frustration.

The test was meant to serve as a model for a broader recruitment drive. Authorities plan to use similar methods to hire 3,000 young people into the civil service, including an initial group of 120 engineers and technicians and 100 specialist doctors.

For that plan to succeed, officials will need to address the shortcomings exposed in this first attempt. Strengthening technical systems, improving logistics, and training supervisors will be critical to ensuring a smoother and more reliable process in future exams.

Samira Njoya