Govt school in Mandya first to install Face Biometric System for attendance in Karnataka

Mandya: Setting a new benchmark for government schools in Karnataka, the Government Higher Primary School in Thaggahalli has become the first in the state to introduce a face biometric system for student attendance.

Thanks to the combined efforts of parents, villagers, and the proactive School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC), the cutting-edge system was set up at a cost of Rs 1 lakh.

How Does the Biometric System Work?

The face biometric system records the details of students, teachers, and staff through a dashboard program. Attendance is logged within two seconds, capturing the time, date, and the total number of students present, including a breakdown of male and female students. This system has led to a 95% improvement in student attendance.

In the future, the school management plans to introduce a feature that will send SMS notifications to parents if their children are absent.

“The installation of this biometric system was done after discussions between the teachers, SDMC members, and the villagers. We are now waiting for the official inauguration by the Education Minister,” said Anil Kumar, an SDMC member from Thaggahalli.

“Though the government has a proposal to implement such a face biometric system, it hasn’t been executed yet. However, the SDMC members and villagers of Thaggahalli took the initiative themselves, without waiting for government funds, and installed the biometric system, making the school a model for others,” said Umesh, Field Coordinator, South Zone, Mandya.

The school, which now offers LKG and UKG classes, saw a sharp rise in enrollment post-COVID, growing from 45 students to 253. The success of the biometric system, combined with its selection under the Prime Minister’s School for Rising India (PMSHRI) scheme, has further enhanced its reputation. The central government has granted Rs 15 lakh in funding for the school’s development.