Biometric attendance system to check proxy attendance in govt. colleges

Bengaluru: The Higher Education Department, in a bid to streamline the process of attendance tracking, will begin using biometric attendance devices at all government colleges across the state. Accordingly, the department has directed colleges to instal biometric attendance system by the end of this academic year.

The move will not only tackle the issue of fake attendance on part of students but will also reduce teacher absenteeism. Once the devices are installed the students will have to punch in and punch out when they enter and leave college. 

The department had received several complaints about students who manage to mark their attendance via proxy calling or obtain hall tickets for exams depite having a deficit attendance by paying authorities. Morover there were situations when a lecturer would dismiss a particular class as there were very few students. With the adoption of the new system, it is hoped that the number of absentee students may reduce.

“Monthly attendance reports will be generated and parents of students will be notified about the attendance status of their wards. The system will not generate admission tickets of students who do not have the mandatory 75 per cent attendance,” said a department official.