Synap launches Synoptic online exam proctoring system

Synap has launched Synoptic, an online exam proctoring system, as schools, regulators and professional bodies face renewed scrutiny over cheating in remote assessments.

The Leeds-based assessment software company says the system gives education providers, training organisations and professional exam boards a way to run monitored online exams without relying on continuous live surveillance. It combines exam delivery and proctoring in one platform and is designed to work in both stable and low-bandwidth environments.

Pressure on exam integrity has risen as generative AI tools and other digital aids have become easier to access. Concerns have spread beyond schools and universities into professional qualifications, where remote testing has faced questions over how cheating can be detected and evidenced.

The debate has intensified after comments from Ofqual Chief Regulator Ian Bauckham urging exam boards to clamp down on cheating. The issue has also affected accountancy qualifications, with the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants ending remote invigilated exams over cheating concerns.

Synoptic was developed from Synap's experience delivering proctored assessments in a range of settings, including regions with limited network access and unstable power supplies. The system uses configurable monitoring controls, AI-assisted evidence gathering and audit trails that can be reviewed during or after an exam session.

Market pressure

Online exam providers have come under criticism in recent years over remote monitoring tools that track candidates continuously or collect large amounts of personal data. At the same time, institutions have struggled to balance demands for stronger controls with concerns over privacy, fairness and access for candidates in less reliable technical environments.

Synap is positioning Synoptic as an alternative to what it describes as blanket surveillance. Features include native integration with exam delivery, configurable security settings based on assessment risk, session recording, review tools for invigilators, and support for periodic snapshots and HTML reconstruction where bandwidth is limited.

The system also highlights suspicious activity on a timeline, so reviewers do not need to watch hours of footage from start to finish. Synap says the platform uses encryption and adheres to ISO/IEC 27001 standards.

Dr James Gupta, Chief Executive Officer of Synap, outlined the rationale for the launch.

"While online exams have expanded rapidly in recent years, third-party proctoring tools have faced growing criticism for intrusive candidate monitoring, inconsistent flagging and data compliance concerns. At the same time, as online exams became more pervasive across sectors, tools like generative AI and wearable tech have also made cheating much harder to detect and prove. The conversation shouldn't be whether online exams can be trusted. It should be whether institutions are using technology that deserves to be trusted," he said.

Synoptic is integrated into the wider exam process rather than added as a separate monitoring layer.

"We wanted to offer a more seamless exam experience, so we created Synoptic to embed proctoring directly into the exam lifecycle," Gupta said.

Scale and reach

Synap says it has delivered more than 10 million tests worldwide and facilitated more than 300 million questions answered. Its user base exceeds 500,000 across the UK, Europe, North America and other international markets, spanning education, training and other assessment-led sectors.

The launch reflects a wider shift in digital assessment, as providers try to show not only that misconduct can be identified, but that any intervention can be justified and documented. Clear evidence trails are becoming more important as institutions face appeals, compliance checks and pressure to demonstrate consistent treatment of candidates.

Professional exam boards and education providers are also under pressure to keep remote assessment available where it improves access, while reducing the risk that honest candidates are disadvantaged. Tools that can operate with weaker internet connections may be especially relevant in programmes serving geographically dispersed learners or users outside major urban centres.

For employers and training providers, the issue extends to certification and workforce testing, where exam validity affects recruitment, progression and compliance. Systems that create records of incidents and reviewer decisions may help organisations defend assessment outcomes when they are challenged.

Gupta said the debate goes beyond catching misconduct.

"Online exams have the potential to make education more accessible, but without clear processes and audit trails, those trying to scale these benefits will find themselves suspecting malpractice they cannot prove. That puts academic integrity at risk and places rule-following candidates at the greatest disadvantage, which is inherently unfair. We didn't develop Synoptic just to make it easier to identify cheating; we designed it to protect both sides of the exam experience, giving institutions and professional users the evidence they need, while ensuring candidates are monitored fairly and tested securely, regardless of their location or internet connection," he said.