KalimNews, March 18, 2025 : In a move to improve transparency and accountability within the education sector, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) has implemented a biometric attendance system, beginning at the headquarters of the Primary Education Department in Louis Jubilee. This system will soon be extended to the District Primary School Board and the District Primary School Inspectorate Office, as announced by Rajesh Chauhan, Member of the GTA Sabha and in charge of the Primary Education Department.
Chauhan explained that this new initiative is aimed at addressing the common complaints of teachers arriving late or finding offices closed when they visit to carry out departmental work. “Many complaints have been received about teachers reaching the circle offices only to find no staff available or the office not open. This results in a waste of their time. To rectify this, the Education Department has decided to implement biometric attendance in all 13 circle offices under the Gorkhaland Regional Administration,” Chauhan stated.
The GTA Primary Education Department oversees 784 primary schools. While efforts were made to introduce biometric attendance systems in these schools, technical challenges have made the installation difficult. As an alternative, the department has used notecams to record attendance, with teachers capturing photos at the start and end of each school day. These photos are sent via WhatsApp to the relevant Sub-Inspector (SI) and Assistant Inspector (AI), who in turn relay the attendance data to the concerned authorities.
Chauhan further emphasized that the biometric system aims to eliminate accusations that teachers are frequently absent from school. “It is disheartening that teachers and the department are often blamed for absenteeism. This system will help eliminate such accusations, as teachers are indeed performing their duties diligently. The actions of a few individuals should not tarnish the reputation of all teachers. This practice is not fair to the larger teaching community,” he said.
This new biometric attendance system is expected to bring greater accountability to the education sector, ensuring that teachers are present and responsible for their attendance. With the implementation of this system, the department hopes to foster a more efficient and transparent educational environment.
