DEEP draws candidates from across India, from major metros to far corners of the country such as Kashmir and the Northeast. Ensuring equitable access to this entrance exam, without compromising academic integrity or scalability, has been a consistent challenge for the faculty. The department sought a solution that could enable secure, distributed, low-bandwidth examinations while maintaining IIT Bombay’s evaluation standards.

Transitioning DEEP to an online format was far from straightforward. Traditional platforms like Google Forms or Teams could not guarantee a smooth experience for these candidates, leaving the department concerned about accessibility and fairness, especially for candidates with poor network connectivity.

Faculty and evaluators also had varying levels of technical expertise. Existing tools were unintuitive for large-scale management, required multiple manual interventions, and lacked centralized monitoring and grading. Coordinating hundreds of applicants posed a significant logistical burden.

The department additionally needed to ensure academic integrity. DEEP’s examination process demanded secure proctoring, multiple question formats, and real-time monitoring, features conventional platforms could not provide. Any technical failure could compromise fairness and credibility, yet faculty required a solution that demanded minimal technical intervention from their side.

As Prof. Pravesh Jung Golay explains:

“We wanted a system where we could have a firsthand interaction with the people behind the platform. With tools like Google Forms, if something goes wrong, who do we go to? SAFE gave us that personal reliability.”

The HSS faculty needed a solution that combined robust technology, intuitive usability, and dedicated support, capable of handling DEEP’s complex, multi-stage admissions process without compromise.