AI-powered transport plan set to ease travel for CET examinees
As nearly 13.5 lakh candidates gear up to appear for the Haryana Common Eligibility Test (CET) 2025 on July 26 and 27, the state’s transport department is preparing for one of its largest logistical operations. In a first, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being harnessed to coordinate and manage transport for examinees across the state.
13.48 lakh candidates to appear
Total number of candidates registered at portal: 4,12,461
Those who need free bus service: 4,09,885
Total candidates in CET: 13.48 lakh
Districts: 22
Centres: 834
Date of exam: July 26, 27
CM reviews arrangements
Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has directed all DCs and SPs to share information regarding all sensitive examination centres with the Home Department. This will enable timely suspension of internet services in the areas concerned, if required, and help ensure that the examination is conducted in a fair and peaceful manner. The CM chaired a meeting today to review the arrangements made by various departments for the upcoming exam.
An elaborate plan has been finalised by the department, which includes deploying over 9,200 buses — 1,500 of them from Haryana Roadways and the rest sourced from various entities — to ensure safe and timely travel for candidates. The exam will be conducted in four shifts over two days, with approximately 3.3 lakh students appearing in each shift.
A senior official from the department said, “We are using AI for bus scheduling, coordination and logistics management. A centralised online portal has already been launched to collect individual travel details of all CET candidates. This not only helps determine transport demand but also assists in building a comprehensive movement map to aid in emergencies.”
So far over four lakh candidates have registered for free transport through the online portal. Authorities have urged all candidates to provide travel details, regardless of their intention to use the transport, to enable better coordination.
The collected data is being shared with emergency services (dial 112) to provide police assistance and ensure real-time response in case of any issues.
The AI-driven system is helping to identify outbound candidates (those leaving their home districts) and inbound candidates (those arriving in a district for the exam). This analysis is being used for efficient route planning and resource allocation.
AI has also been instrumental in micro-management, having identified village clusters with concentrated candidate numbers — ranging from 50 to over 1,000 students. These clusters have been digitally mapped and overlaid with the locations of bus depots, sub-depots, bus stands and CET examination centres, using GIS coordinates.
“AI has proved pivotal in micromanagement of the transport plan. We will ensure that every candidate has an easy option for free transport during the examination. These services aim to guarantee timely, safe and equitable transport access for all,” said a senior official.
Gurugram Deputy Commissioner Ajay Kumar confirmed that all districts, including Gurugram, are operating under a tech-supported transport plan.
“We have identified the pick-up and drop points and the required frequency of shuttles based on GIS inputs. The AI-enabled strategy is expected to ensure a hassle-free examination process for both candidates and authorities,” he said.
Haryana Tribune