Live proctoring is the online exam supervision mode in which a trained proctor — a human employee of a proctoring service or institution — watches the candidate's webcam feed and screen share simultaneously during the exam and can speak to the candidate if a problem arises. Before the exam begins, the proctor typically conducts an ID check and a room scan to confirm the environment is clear of unauthorized materials. Because a proctor watches in real time, ambiguous situations can be resolved contextually rather than flagged algorithmically and reviewed later. This human judgment is the primary advantage of live proctoring over automated approaches: a proctor can distinguish a learner looking away momentarily because of a noise from deliberate reference to hidden notes. The corresponding drawback is cost and scheduling: each proctor can supervise only a small number of simultaneous candidates, making high-volume examinations expensive, and candidates must book a specific time slot matching proctor availability. Live proctoring still involves significant data collection — audio, video, and screen content — and those streams must be handled under applicable privacy regulations even if no recording is retained after the session. For high-stakes, low-volume exams such as professional certification, live proctoring remains the gold standard; for corporate compliance training at scale, record-and-review or automated modes are usually more practical.
