Strict action against teachers not using biometric attendance in Himachal Pradesh schools

Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Directorate of Higher Education has taken strict measures to enforce the use of biometric attendance system for teachers and non-teaching staff in government schools. Staff in schools where biometric machines are not working will now have to mark their attendance twice daily in the attendance register. School principals will have to send an email to the Deputy Director’s office daily with the attendance details.

The move comes after the department raised serious concerns over several schools not implementing biometric attendance. Director of Education Dr Amarjeet Kumar Sharma has directed that the faulty machines be repaired at the earliest, to ensure compliance with the mandatory biometric system.

The Directorate has warned that strict action will be taken against teachers and non-teachers who do not use biometric machines. Despite the mandatory order, many schools are not using the system due to faulty machines or general non-compliance. To address this issue, the directorate has asked all district deputy directors to provide a list of schools where biometric machines have not been installed yet or are out of order.

“Ensuring biometric attendance is important to maintain discipline and accountability in schools,” Dr Sharma said. “We are taking immediate measures to address the issue of non-functional machines and will take necessary action against those who disobey the rules.”

The use of biometric attendance in Himachal Pradesh schools was initially halted in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the system was reintroduced last year as part of efforts to ensure timely and accurate attendance records. Despite this, many schools have failed to adhere to the guidelines, leading to the recent action.

Biometric machines were installed in all government schools across the state in 2019 to improve attendance monitoring. The Education Department has reaffirmed its commitment to ensure that all schools strictly follow this system and the faulty machines are repaired on priority basis.