diff --git a/api/__init__.py b/api/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/api/services/__init__.py b/api/services/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/api/services/docling/__init__.py b/api/services/docling/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/api/services/docling/regions.py b/api/services/docling/regions.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..090b0a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/services/docling/regions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,425 @@
+"""OpenCV response-region detector for exam template auto-map.
+
+This module is intentionally a best-effort spike.  It detects visual writing
+areas (ruled answer lines and rectangular answer boxes) from rendered exam PDF
+pages and returns mapper-friendly candidate dictionaries.  The caller may ignore
+this output entirely; manual drawing remains the fallback.
+
+Candidate schema (``detect_response_regions_from_pdf`` return item)::
+
+    {
+        "kind": "response",
+        "source": "ai",
+        "confirmed": False,
+        "confidence": 0.0..1.0,
+        "page_index": 0,                 # zero-based PDF page index
+        "bbox": {                        # rendered-page pixel coordinates
+            "x": 72.0, "y": 210.0,
+            "w": 420.0, "h": 86.0,
+            "coord_origin": "TOPLEFT",
+            "unit": "px",
+        },
+        "region_type": "answer_lines" | "answer_box" | "working_space",
+        "detection_method": "opencv_horizontal_lines" | "opencv_contour_box",
+        "line_count": 3,                 # answer_lines only
+        "meta": {...},
+    }
+
+The mapper can persist these as ``exam_response_areas`` with
+``kind='response'``, ``source='ai'``, ``confirmed=false`` after converting the
+rendered-page pixel bbox into the app's canvas coordinate system if needed.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import Any, Iterable
+
+import fitz  # PyMuPDF
+import numpy as np
+from PIL import Image
+
+try:  # OpenCV is an optional runtime dependency until S5 wires regions in.
+    import cv2
+except ImportError as exc:  # pragma: no cover - exercised only in underbuilt envs
+    cv2 = None  # type: ignore[assignment]
+    _CV2_IMPORT_ERROR = exc
+else:  # pragma: no cover - trivial branch
+    _CV2_IMPORT_ERROR = None
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class RegionCandidate:
+    """Internal typed candidate before dict serialization."""
+
+    page_index: int
+    x: float
+    y: float
+    w: float
+    h: float
+    region_type: str
+    confidence: float
+    detection_method: str
+    line_count: int | None = None
+    meta: dict[str, Any] | None = None
+
+    def to_mapper_dict(self) -> dict[str, Any]:
+        candidate: dict[str, Any] = {
+            "kind": "response",
+            "source": "ai",
+            "confirmed": False,
+            "confidence": round(float(self.confidence), 3),
+            "page_index": int(self.page_index),
+            "bbox": {
+                "x": round(float(self.x), 2),
+                "y": round(float(self.y), 2),
+                "w": round(float(self.w), 2),
+                "h": round(float(self.h), 2),
+                "coord_origin": "TOPLEFT",
+                "unit": "px",
+            },
+            "region_type": self.region_type,
+            "detection_method": self.detection_method,
+        }
+        if self.line_count is not None:
+            candidate["line_count"] = int(self.line_count)
+        if self.meta:
+            candidate["meta"] = self.meta
+        return candidate
+
+
+@dataclass(frozen=True)
+class _LineSegment:
+    x: int
+    y: int
+    w: int
+    h: int
+
+    @property
+    def right(self) -> int:
+        return self.x + self.w
+
+    @property
+    def center_y(self) -> float:
+        return self.y + self.h / 2
+
+
+def detect_response_regions_from_pdf(
+    pdf_path: str | Path,
+    *,
+    dpi: int = 144,
+    max_pages: int | None = None,
+    page_indices: Iterable[int] | None = None,
+    min_confidence: float = 0.35,
+) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
+    """Render a PDF and emit response-area candidate dictionaries.
+
+    Args:
+        pdf_path: Local PDF path.
+        dpi: Render resolution. 144 dpi gives 2 px per PDF point and is a good
+            speed/geometry compromise for the API fast path.
+        max_pages: Optional first-N-pages cap for smoke tests/spikes.
+        page_indices: Optional explicit zero-based page indices. When supplied,
+            ``max_pages`` is ignored.
+        min_confidence: Drop candidates below this confidence.
+
+    Returns:
+        List of mapper-friendly dictionaries documented in the module docstring.
+    """
+
+    if cv2 is None:
+        raise RuntimeError(
+            "OpenCV is required for answer-region detection; install "
+            "opencv-python-headless."
+        ) from _CV2_IMPORT_ERROR
+
+    if dpi <= 0:
+        raise ValueError("dpi must be positive")
+    if not 0 <= min_confidence <= 1:
+        raise ValueError("min_confidence must be between 0 and 1")
+
+    path = Path(pdf_path)
+    if not path.exists():
+        raise FileNotFoundError(path)
+
+    doc = fitz.open(path)
+    try:
+        if page_indices is None:
+            pages = range(len(doc) if max_pages is None else min(len(doc), max_pages))
+        else:
+            pages = list(page_indices)
+        candidates: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+        zoom = dpi / 72.0
+        matrix = fitz.Matrix(zoom, zoom)
+        for page_index in pages:
+            if page_index < 0 or page_index >= len(doc):
+                continue
+            pix = doc[page_index].get_pixmap(matrix=matrix, alpha=False)
+            image = Image.frombytes("RGB", (pix.width, pix.height), pix.samples)
+            page_candidates = detect_response_regions_from_image(
+                image,
+                page_index=page_index,
+                min_confidence=min_confidence,
+            )
+            candidates.extend(candidate.to_mapper_dict() for candidate in page_candidates)
+        return candidates
+    finally:
+        doc.close()
+
+
+def detect_response_regions_from_image(
+    image: Image.Image | np.ndarray,
+    *,
+    page_index: int = 0,
+    min_confidence: float = 0.35,
+) -> list[RegionCandidate]:
+    """Detect response-area candidates on one rendered page image."""
+
+    if cv2 is None:
+        raise RuntimeError(
+            "OpenCV is required for answer-region detection; install "
+            "opencv-python-headless."
+        ) from _CV2_IMPORT_ERROR
+    if not 0 <= min_confidence <= 1:
+        raise ValueError("min_confidence must be between 0 and 1")
+
+    page = _as_rgb_array(image)
+    gray = cv2.cvtColor(page, cv2.COLOR_RGB2GRAY)
+    binary = _ink_mask(gray)
+
+    height, width = gray.shape[:2]
+    line_candidates = _detect_answer_lines(binary, page_index=page_index, width=width, height=height)
+    box_candidates = _detect_answer_boxes(binary, page_index=page_index, width=width, height=height)
+    candidates = _dedupe_candidates(line_candidates + box_candidates)
+    return [c for c in candidates if c.confidence >= min_confidence]
+
+
+def _as_rgb_array(image: Image.Image | np.ndarray) -> np.ndarray:
+    if isinstance(image, Image.Image):
+        return np.asarray(image.convert("RGB"))
+    array = np.asarray(image)
+    if array.ndim == 2:
+        return np.stack([array, array, array], axis=-1)
+    if array.shape[-1] == 4:
+        return array[:, :, :3]
+    return array
+
+
+def _ink_mask(gray: np.ndarray) -> np.ndarray:
+    """Return a binary mask where printed dark ink is 255."""
+
+    blurred = cv2.GaussianBlur(gray, (3, 3), 0)
+    return cv2.adaptiveThreshold(
+        blurred,
+        255,
+        cv2.ADAPTIVE_THRESH_MEAN_C,
+        cv2.THRESH_BINARY_INV,
+        31,
+        12,
+    )
+
+
+def _detect_answer_lines(binary: np.ndarray, *, page_index: int, width: int, height: int) -> list[RegionCandidate]:
+    # Long horizontal strokes are answer lines. A wide kernel removes text while
+    # retaining ruled lines; min length scales with the page so it works across
+    # A4/letter and DPI values.
+    min_line_width = max(80, int(width * 0.22))
+    kernel_width = max(30, int(width * 0.08))
+    kernel = cv2.getStructuringElement(cv2.MORPH_RECT, (kernel_width, 1))
+    horizontal = cv2.morphologyEx(binary, cv2.MORPH_OPEN, kernel, iterations=1)
+    contours, _ = cv2.findContours(horizontal, cv2.RETR_EXTERNAL, cv2.CHAIN_APPROX_SIMPLE)
+
+    segments: list[_LineSegment] = []
+    for contour in contours:
+        x, y, w, h = cv2.boundingRect(contour)
+        if w < min_line_width:
+            continue
+        if h > max(10, int(height * 0.012)):
+            continue
+        # Ignore page borders / header separator lines.
+        if y < height * 0.05 or y > height * 0.96:
+            continue
+        segments.append(_LineSegment(x=x, y=y, w=w, h=max(h, 1)))
+
+    if not segments:
+        return []
+
+    segments.sort(key=lambda seg: (seg.center_y, seg.x))
+    grouped = _group_line_segments(segments, width=width, height=height)
+
+    candidates: list[RegionCandidate] = []
+    for group in grouped:
+        if not group:
+            continue
+        x0 = min(seg.x for seg in group)
+        x1 = max(seg.right for seg in group)
+        y0 = min(seg.y for seg in group)
+        y1 = max(seg.y + seg.h for seg in group)
+        line_count = len(group)
+
+        # Expand vertical bbox so it covers the student-writing band, not just
+        # the 1px strokes. Single underline answers get a modest band above the
+        # line; multi-line answers cover the lines plus inter-line whitespace.
+        if line_count == 1:
+            pad_top = max(18, int(height * 0.018))
+            pad_bottom = max(8, int(height * 0.008))
+        else:
+            gaps = [group[i + 1].center_y - group[i].center_y for i in range(line_count - 1)]
+            median_gap = float(np.median(gaps)) if gaps else height * 0.025
+            pad_top = max(10, int(median_gap * 0.45))
+            pad_bottom = max(8, int(median_gap * 0.35))
+
+        box_x = max(0, x0 - 4)
+        box_y = max(0, y0 - pad_top)
+        box_w = min(width, x1 + 4) - box_x
+        box_h = min(height, y1 + pad_bottom) - box_y
+        if box_w <= 0 or box_h <= 0:
+            continue
+
+        span_ratio = box_w / max(width, 1)
+        count_bonus = min(0.2, max(0, line_count - 1) * 0.05)
+        confidence = min(0.92, 0.42 + span_ratio * 0.35 + count_bonus)
+        region_type = "answer_lines" if line_count > 1 else "working_space"
+        candidates.append(
+            RegionCandidate(
+                page_index=page_index,
+                x=box_x,
+                y=box_y,
+                w=box_w,
+                h=box_h,
+                region_type=region_type,
+                confidence=confidence,
+                detection_method="opencv_horizontal_lines",
+                line_count=line_count,
+                meta={"line_segments": [{"x": s.x, "y": s.y, "w": s.w, "h": s.h} for s in group]},
+            )
+        )
+    return candidates
+
+
+def _group_line_segments(segments: list[_LineSegment], *, width: int, height: int) -> list[list[_LineSegment]]:
+    groups: list[list[_LineSegment]] = []
+    current: list[_LineSegment] = []
+    max_gap = max(28, int(height * 0.045))
+    min_x_overlap_ratio = 0.35
+
+    for segment in segments:
+        if not current:
+            current = [segment]
+            continue
+        previous = current[-1]
+        y_gap = segment.center_y - previous.center_y
+        overlap = max(0, min(segment.right, previous.right) - max(segment.x, previous.x))
+        narrower = max(1, min(segment.w, previous.w))
+        similar_x = overlap / narrower >= min_x_overlap_ratio or abs(segment.x - previous.x) < width * 0.08
+        if 2 <= y_gap <= max_gap and similar_x:
+            current.append(segment)
+        else:
+            groups.append(current)
+            current = [segment]
+    if current:
+        groups.append(current)
+    return groups
+
+
+def _detect_answer_boxes(binary: np.ndarray, *, page_index: int, width: int, height: int) -> list[RegionCandidate]:
+    # Close gaps in ruled rectangles, then contour them. This catches table-like
+    # working boxes and explicit answer boxes without trying to understand text.
+    kernel = cv2.getStructuringElement(cv2.MORPH_RECT, (5, 5))
+    closed = cv2.morphologyEx(binary, cv2.MORPH_CLOSE, kernel, iterations=1)
+    contours, _ = cv2.findContours(closed, cv2.RETR_EXTERNAL, cv2.CHAIN_APPROX_SIMPLE)
+
+    candidates: list[RegionCandidate] = []
+    min_area = width * height * 0.003
+    max_area = width * height * 0.55
+    for contour in contours:
+        x, y, w, h = cv2.boundingRect(contour)
+        area = w * h
+        if area < min_area or area > max_area:
+            continue
+        if w < width * 0.16 or h < height * 0.025:
+            continue
+        if y < height * 0.04 or y + h > height * 0.98:
+            continue
+        aspect = w / max(h, 1)
+        if aspect < 1.2:
+            continue
+
+        contour_area = cv2.contourArea(contour)
+        rectangularity = min(1.0, contour_area / max(area, 1))
+        if rectangularity < 0.03:
+            continue
+        confidence = min(0.88, 0.46 + min(0.24, w / width * 0.24) + min(0.18, h / height * 0.5))
+        padded_x = max(0, x - 2)
+        padded_y = max(0, y - 2)
+        padded_right = min(width, x + w + 2)
+        padded_bottom = min(height, y + h + 2)
+        candidates.append(
+            RegionCandidate(
+                page_index=page_index,
+                x=padded_x,
+                y=padded_y,
+                w=padded_right - padded_x,
+                h=padded_bottom - padded_y,
+                region_type="answer_box",
+                confidence=confidence,
+                detection_method="opencv_contour_box",
+                meta={"rectangularity": round(float(rectangularity), 3)},
+            )
+        )
+    return candidates
+
+
+def _dedupe_candidates(candidates: list[RegionCandidate]) -> list[RegionCandidate]:
+    """Remove lower-confidence candidates that substantially overlap."""
+
+    kept: list[RegionCandidate] = []
+    for candidate in sorted(candidates, key=lambda c: c.confidence, reverse=True):
+        if all(_iou(candidate, existing) < 0.55 for existing in kept):
+            kept.append(candidate)
+    kept.sort(key=lambda c: (c.page_index, c.y, c.x))
+    return kept
+
+
+def _iou(a: RegionCandidate, b: RegionCandidate) -> float:
+    if a.page_index != b.page_index:
+        return 0.0
+    ax1, ay1, ax2, ay2 = a.x, a.y, a.x + a.w, a.y + a.h
+    bx1, by1, bx2, by2 = b.x, b.y, b.x + b.w, b.y + b.h
+    ix1, iy1 = max(ax1, bx1), max(ay1, by1)
+    ix2, iy2 = min(ax2, bx2), min(ay2, by2)
+    iw, ih = max(0.0, ix2 - ix1), max(0.0, iy2 - iy1)
+    intersection = iw * ih
+    union = a.w * a.h + b.w * b.h - intersection
+    return intersection / union if union > 0 else 0.0
+
+
+def main() -> None:
+    """Small CLI for smoke testing: python -m api.services.docling.regions PDF."""
+
+    import argparse
+    import json
+
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description="Detect answer-region candidates in an exam PDF")
+    parser.add_argument("pdf", help="PDF path")
+    parser.add_argument("--dpi", type=int, default=144)
+    parser.add_argument("--max-pages", type=int, default=None)
+    parser.add_argument("--min-confidence", type=float, default=0.35)
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    print(
+        json.dumps(
+            detect_response_regions_from_pdf(
+                args.pdf,
+                dpi=args.dpi,
+                max_pages=args.max_pages,
+                min_confidence=args.min_confidence,
+            ),
+            indent=2,
+        )
+    )
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":  # pragma: no cover
+    main()
diff --git a/modules/services/docling/__init__.py b/modules/services/docling/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29
diff --git a/modules/services/docling/regions.py b/modules/services/docling/regions.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9574db9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/services/docling/regions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+"""Compatibility import path for S5 Docling response-region geometry."""
+
+from api.services.docling.regions import (
+    RegionCandidate,
+    detect_response_regions_from_image,
+    detect_response_regions_from_pdf,
+)
+
+__all__ = [
+    "RegionCandidate",
+    "detect_response_regions_from_image",
+    "detect_response_regions_from_pdf",
+]
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 7d1aced..2ac196d 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -79,4 +79,6 @@ pdfminer.six
 Pillow
 psutil
 PyPDF2
-PyMuPDF
\ No newline at end of file
+PyMuPDF
+# OpenCV answer-region geometry (S5-4)
+opencv-python-headless
diff --git a/tests/test_docling_regions.py b/tests/test_docling_regions.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..69492c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_docling_regions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from PIL import Image, ImageDraw
+
+from api.services.docling.regions import detect_response_regions_from_image
+
+
+def test_detects_grouped_answer_lines() -> None:
+    image = Image.new("RGB", (900, 1200), "white")
+    draw = ImageDraw.Draw(image)
+    for y in (420, 470, 520):
+        draw.line((160, y, 760, y), fill="black", width=3)
+
+    candidates = detect_response_regions_from_image(image, page_index=2)
+
+    line_regions = [c.to_mapper_dict() for c in candidates if c.region_type == "answer_lines"]
+    assert line_regions
+    best = line_regions[0]
+    assert best["kind"] == "response"
+    assert best["source"] == "ai"
+    assert best["confirmed"] is False
+    assert best["page_index"] == 2
+    assert best["line_count"] == 3
+    assert best["bbox"]["coord_origin"] == "TOPLEFT"
+    assert best["bbox"]["w"] > 550
+    assert best["bbox"]["h"] > 80
+
+
+def test_detects_answer_box() -> None:
+    image = Image.new("RGB", (900, 1200), "white")
+    draw = ImageDraw.Draw(image)
+    draw.rectangle((140, 300, 780, 520), outline="black", width=3)
+
+    candidates = detect_response_regions_from_image(image, page_index=0)
+
+    boxes = [c.to_mapper_dict() for c in candidates if c.region_type == "answer_box"]
+    assert boxes
+    assert boxes[0]["bbox"]["w"] > 600
+    assert boxes[0]["bbox"]["h"] > 200