A student authentication system

Abstract

This study aims to address the prevalent problem of impersonation which is one of the commonest forms of malpractice by Makerere University students during the examination period. The problem of impersonation has drastically arisen due to the absence of a reliable identity verification mechanism or system in place. This project sets out to design, develop, and implement a SAS to enhance examination security and ensure the integrity of the evaluation process. The general or main objective of the project is to create a develop a system that will authenticate students sitting for exams within Makerere University. The specific objectives of the study include defining requirements for the Student Authentication System, designing the model for the Student Authentication System, implementing the Student Authentication System, testing and validating the Student Authentication System. To achieve this, a systematic approach was followed, consisting of several key methodologies like planning then defining the system requirements by engaging with stakeholders, that is the invigilators and students, to understand their needs and expectations. This was followed by an extensive analysis phase, where the gathered requirements were analyzed to design the system's architecture, hardware, and software components. The subsequent design phase involved outlining the system's overall structure and flow using various tools such as Microsoft Visio and draw.io to create activity diagrams, data flow diagrams and entity-relationship diagrams. The development phase was executed using multiple programming languages and frameworks, including PHP, Java, JavaScript, MySQL, and Django respectively. Finally, the testing phase ensured quality and reliability of the system to verify the system's compliance with defined requirements. In conclusion, the output of this project successfully addresses the problem of impersonation by providing a Student Authentication System, which offers a secure and efficient method of verifying student identities during examinations. The SAS utilizes biometric fingerprint scanning technology to capture and verify the fingerprints of students, allowing only authorized individuals to access the examination room