Despite govt order,education depts have not set up biometric system

A state circular was issued in 2009 to implement biometric time and attendance system in all government department. The aim was to improve efficiency in monitoring the attendance and leave records.

The government has been integrating salary payments of employees with biometric attendance system,which records individual’s fingerprints to authenticate identity and record time-in and time-out at offices.

Activist Vijay Kumbhar said the absence of biometric attendance system at key educational establishments implies government’s apathy towards the sector.”Education sector finds least priority on government agenda. Neither top bureaucrats nor ministers bother about non-implementation of biometric system even after two and half years after deadline,” he said.

State Director of Education (Primary) Mahaveer Mane said proposal to buy biometric attendance machines has been sent to government. “The system is mandatory in government offices. The machines would be installed in our office once the government clears our proposal,” he told Newsline on Friday.

Sarjerao Jadhav,State Director of Education (Secondary and higher secondary ) was unavailable for comment. Senior officials said couple of biometric attendance machines were installed at the directorate of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education some months ago,but those became non-functional very soon. No action was reportedly taken against the supplier,officials said.

The directorate of education manages around 1,03,625 primary and secondary schools besides hundreds of junior colleges. Itdraws many visitors from across the state. The implementation of biometric system at these important establishments would ensure exact time-in and time-out of staff,which would benefit visitors.

Minister of state for School Education,Fauzia Khan,said,“The government will ensure biometric attendance system gets installed in both the directorates soon,” she said.