Biometric attendance: Himachal teachers demand fair implementation

The Himachal Pradesh Government College Teacher Association (HGCTA) has called upon the Department of Higher Education to adopt a balanced and consultative approach before implementing the proposed geo-fencing-based biometric attendance system in government colleges across the state.

While welcoming the use of modern technology to improve administrative efficiency and transparency, the association has raised serious concerns about data privacy, device compatibility and the practical challenges that could arise from the use of GPS-enabled mobile applications for attendance.

Under the proposed system, college employees would be required to download and install a mobile application with GPS and biometric features on their personal smartphones to mark daily attendance. The move has sparked unease among faculty members, who fear that such measures could compromise their privacy and impose undue burdens.

“We are not opposed to modernisation or the use of technology,” said Dr Harish Kumar Chauhan, president of the HGCTA Mandi Unit. “But the success of this system depends on it being fair, inclusive and sensitive to the genuine concerns of teachers. Practical provisions are essential to address issues such as data security, the financial burden of purchasing new devices and situations where mobile phones are lost or malfunctioning.”

In a memorandum submitted to the Directorate of Higher Education, the HGCTA laid out several key demands to ensure that the system, if implemented, is fair and does not disrupt the teaching environment or infringe upon the rights of educators. The memorandum was formally submitted to the Director of Higher Education through Dr Sanjeev Kumar, Principal of Vallabh Government College, Mandi.