What is Online Proctoring?

What is online proctoring? 

The education industry is evolving fast with technological advancements, and this brings a critical question: how can organizations ensure academic honesty during online exams? Online proctoring is the answer. It is a technology-driven approach to proctoring remote tests. Whether you are a student, educator, business or certification provider, understanding what online proctoring is and how it works is essential in today’s digital education culture. 

In this guide, we break down the definition of online proctoring, explore why it’s important, how it works, and different proctoring types. 

Online proctoring is a method of monitoring online exam via digital tools, webcams, microphones, screen monitoring, and sometimes AI-driven behaviour analysis. Proctoring software behaves like an in-person proctor but in a virtual environment to maintain exam integrity without a physical test center. Universities, online learning platforms, licensing and certification institutions, corporate training centers, recruitment assessment and talent screening are all major places where online proctoring is widely used. Rise of remote education and hybrid workplaces supported rapid evolution of online assessment and led to establishing trust online. 

Why is online proctoring important? 

Proctoring an exam is a necessity to create a safe exam environment where candidates follow exam rules and exam results are as objective as possible. When there is a proctor present in the exam room, potential misconducts are discouraged and prevented. The same applies if there is proctoring software present during an online exam. Candidates are more likely to avoid breaking an exam rule, knowingly or unknowingly. For example, when a candidate knows that they are observed during the exam, they will avoid trying to look at a print material or use another device to look up answers. 

According to Open Praxis, a Western Governors University representative stated that ‘more than 98% of the university, which is over 90,000 students, prefer remote proctored exams’ because students think that the remote proctoring is easier (Oeding, J., Gunn, T., & Seitz, J. (2024). The Mixed-Bag Impact of Online Proctoring Software in Undergraduate Courses. Open Praxis, 16(1), pp. 82–93. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55982/openpraxis.16.1.585). 

Here are some of the advantages of online proctoring and why it is becoming increasingly important: 

- Millions of learners are now taking online courses which provide credentials with remote proctoring. 

- Many professional programs became globally accessible in IT and business thanks to online proctored exams. 

- Online exams do not involve travel time and cost, they do not require physical facilities to conduct exams and provide flexibility to candidates where they can take the exam. 

- Artificial intelligence can provide highly accurate facial recognition and identity verification which makes online proctored exams scalable 

How online proctoring works 

Even though the process may vary based on platform, workflow often starts with verifying candidate identity with photo ID and facial recognition technology. Once ID and face are a match, system ensures the person registered for the exam is the same person in front of the camera. 

Proctoring software performs checks by testing webcam, microphone, and internet speed. Additional software installed on candidate’s device can detect unauthorized applications, disable additional monitors, virtual machines, and lock browser screen to exam only. These are necessary for providing a secure test environment. 

During the exam, proctoring software can allow a human proctor to attend to exam and monitor candidates live. This is called live proctoring and can be done via webcam and microphone. Alternatively, the system can automatically observe candidates to detect suspicious behaviors with AI-assisted technology. This is called automated proctoring. Suspicious activities can be captured, recorded, and presented to a human proctor for review after the exam. Artificial intelligence can detect multiple people in the room, attempts to open a new tab, and unusual eye and face movements or sounds. 

After the exam, system provides identity verification results, activity logs, and flagged behaviour records. 

Proctoring types 

Online proctoring can be implemented in different formats depending on exam requirements, risk level, and scale. Each method offers distinct advantages and trade-offs. 

Live proctoring 

Live proctoring is best suited for high-stakes examinations such as university finals, licensing exams, and professional certifications. In this model, a trained human proctor monitors candidates in real time via webcam, microphone, and screen sharing. 

The proctor can actively intervene by warning candidates, answering procedural questions, or terminating the exam if violations occur. Live proctoring closely mirrors traditional in-person supervision, offering the highest level of control and exam integrity, though it is typically more resource-intensive. 

Automated proctoring 

Automated proctoring relies on AI-driven monitoring rather than continuous human supervision. The system analyzes video, audio, screen activity, and behavioral patterns to identify suspicious actions such as unusual eye movement, additional faces, background voices, or attempts to access unauthorized resources. 

This method is cost-effective, scalable, and available 24/7, making it ideal for large-volume, low- to medium-stakes exams. However, AI models must be carefully calibrated and continuously improved to minimize false-positive flags and ensure fair candidate evaluation. 

Hybrid proctoring 

Hybrid proctoring combines automated monitoring with human review or intervention. AI tools monitor candidates throughout the exam and flag potential violations, which are then reviewed by trained proctors either in real time or after the session. 

This model offers a balanced solution by maintaining high exam integrity while remaining scalable and cost-efficient. Hybrid proctoring is increasingly popular for organizations seeking both flexibility and reliability. 

Summary 

Online proctoring is an excellent solution available today for remote tests. It reduces proctor workload significantly, saves paper and logistics costs, and helps exams become scalable and accessible. Online proctored exams are becoming increasingly popular, and students prefer to attend exams online instead of in class. Online proctoring software, with artificial intelligence, can monitor students during exams, log suspicious activities, and present them to a live proctor at the end of the exam. Candidate identity can be verified with a webcam, and candidate's face can be matched to ID with facial recognition technology. Exam environment can be monitored via webcam and microphone, allowing proctoring software to monitor and analyze suspicious activities, log and report after the exam. Various proctoring types meet different needs of test makers: whether it is a high-stake exam that requires close monitoring or a global test where scalability is the most important requirement, there is a proctoring solution for that.