Which drawback is specifically associated with handwriting verification?

• A. It is instantaneous
• B. It is inefficient due to signature inconsistencies
• C. It is very expensive
• D. It is universally accepted

Answer: (B)

Handwriting verification relies on the fact that a person’s signature can vary from one instance to another. Because of this natural variability—changes in speed, pressure, slant, stroke order, and even writing instrument or surface—no single sample perfectly represents the signer. That makes verification inherently time-consuming: you often need multiple samples and careful comparison, and even then the system has to tolerate some differences while still distinguishing genuine signatures from forgeries. This ongoing need to assess and calibrate against variability leads to inefficiency, which is the key drawback.

Other options don’t fit as well. If handwriting verification were instantaneous, the variability would have to be ignored entirely, which isn’t realistic. Being very expensive isn’t the defining issue here, since the main challenge is the inconsistency of signatures, not a fixed cost. And it isn’t universally accepted because the variability and potential for forgery mean it can’t guarantee acceptance universally.