Proxy interviews: A booming business in the digital era

A candidate usually has to go through multiple tests before a company is 100% sure about their calibre, talents, and willingness to work in the company. Only the candidate who fit the company's requirements are able to make it through. Such high competitiveness often coaxes the candidates to resort to illegal methods to pass the tests.

Hyderabad:Interviews, for many people, are perhaps one of the most frightening experiences. Such fear may hinder them from applying to positions which may be beneficial for both the person and the organisation. Exploiting this weakness, some agencies have started to advertise services which enable the interviewee to not appear for the interview. This service is called 'proxy interview' where someone else appears for the test in place of the original candidate.

"Have you applied for a position in any software company? Not sure about interview questions? Should someone else participate in it instead of you? Contact our company. Experts in the respective subjects will attend the interview on your behalf. You will get the answer. The interview is ours...the job is yours," is what many advertisements on the internet read.

Public advertisements such as these attract candidates and even though they are well aware that proxy interviews are unlawful, they still opt for them. Organisations specifically established to provide proxy interview services have existed for many years, but the police have only turned their attention towards them recently.

A candidate usually has to go through multiple tests before a company is 100% sure about their calibre, talents, and willingness to work in the company. Only the candidates that fit the company's requirements are able to make it through. Such high competitiveness often coaxes the candidates to resort to illegal methods to pass the tests.

During the police recruitment test in 2018, a candidate appeared for the exam from two centres instead of one, and was later apprehended by the police. Advancement in technology has made the process of recognizing proxies during examinations much easier. The requirement for a candidate to appear for the exam with a printed hall ticket and give their fingerprints has reduced the occurrence of such crimes by a lot.

Foreign organisations have started to partner up with local companies to ensure the candidate appears for an in-person interview as the previous method of phone-call interviews enabled proxy interviews.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, companies had to switch to online interviews, and there was a sudden boom in the employment opportunities in the software industry. Aspirants with the most basic educational qualifications were able to secure jobs by submitting false documents and lying about their experience. This has forced organisations to give preference to industry veterans and not freshers.

The demand for proxy interviews has reduced significantly in recent years. Agencies which provide this service earn up to Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per interview. This industry is run with the help of experts from multiple software courses. These organisations provide the candidates with false documents proving their exceptional experience in the field and salary slips.

Managing Director of the Hyderabad-based Zeta Mine Labs Pvt Ltd Nageswara Gupta said proxy interviews have damaged the quality of work as people with little or no knowledge end up joining the company. "Many mistakes are made and the entire project is affected. This creates a bad impression of Indian software industries at the international level," he said.

KVN Prasad, ACP, Cyber ​​Crimes, Hyderabad told that their department has been receiving complaints about proxy interviews. "We also have information regarding proxy interviews. If anyone complains with proper evidence, action will be taken," he said.