150 biometric attendance machines to be installed at government schools

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 2

After installing biometric attendance machines at five government schools as a pilot project to curb absenteeism among the staff, the UT Education Department will install 150 more such machines in other government schools by next month.

Sources said the department would place the order for the installation of the machines in different government schools soon. The cost of each machine has been estimated at Rs 8,100.

“Under the project, the Education Department had an option to install the machine for the staff and students. Later, the students were excluded from the project,” sources said.

Director Public Instructions (Schools) KK Bhadoo said the biometric machines would be installed for the proper functioning of schools.

“The department had covered five schools - Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sectors 16, 37, 35, 50 and Dhanas - under the project a year ago. But, the machine installed at the Sector 16 school developed a snag and is lying defunct till date,” the sources said.

Meanwhile, a majority of the teachers and other school staff were unhappy over the decision. They termed the move a restriction on them.

“There are another ways, too. You can’t get good results by pressurising someone,” said a teacher.