CHENNAI: To resolve lapses in the attendance system for faculty members in various universities, the Higher Education Department has made it compulsory to install and enable biometric attendance systems across all colleges.
The decision to bring in a biometric attendance system comes in the backdrop of allegations that many faculty members were working in several institutions without updating the attendance register.
A senior Higher Education Department official, under the condition of anonymity, said his department’s superiors expressed concern in a communique that many officers and teaching and non-teaching staff of universities are habitually unpunctual and leaving office early without due permission from competent authorities.
“They also take unauthorised absences from duty. Such activities cast an unpleasant impression on the educational institution. Lapses on the part of the administration may lead to student unrest and strain their relationship with the staff,” the official said.
He emphasised that to curb the unprofessional behaviour of college staff, it is imperative to bring alternative arrangements in the interest of students’ and institutions’ welfare.
A solution to the issue is the biometric attendance system, he claimed.
“In this regard, both teaching and non-teaching staff should record their presence on the biometric equipment at the time of entry into the office and exit at the end of the day,” he added.
The official said that after the official information, tenders had already been floated by the state-owned universities to buy the biometric attendance device. “All the biometric systems, which have specific conditions, will be purchased and will be installed by January 2025,” he added.