In a significant move to tackle persistent student absenteeism, the Assam government's Department of School Education has rolled out a new automated SMS alert system. Launched on Monday, December 16, 2025, this technology-driven initiative aims to ensure better educational continuity and reduce dropout risks across the state's government schools.
How the Automated Alert System Works
The core mechanism of the system is integrated with the existing Shiksha Setu Application, which is used for monitoring daily attendance of both teachers and students. The new feature will trigger standardized SMS notifications whenever a student is marked absent for five consecutive days.
These alerts are not one-time reminders. The system is programmed to send follow-up messages at fixed five-day intervals—on the 5th, 10th, 15th, and subsequent days of continued absence. This cycle will only stop once the student resumes attending school, ensuring persistent engagement from the school's side.
The messages are sent simultaneously to two crucial stakeholders:
- Class Teachers: They receive focused alerts containing the name, class, and section of the absent student. This enables them to proactively contact the parents or guardians to understand the reason and facilitate the child's return to the classroom.
- Parents/Guardians: They get a direct and concise reminder about their child's ongoing absence, serving as a prompt for immediate action at the household level.
Embracing Linguistic Diversity for Maximum Reach
A key feature of this initiative is its thoughtful design to accommodate Assam's rich linguistic landscape. Recognizing that a one-language-fits-all approach would fail, the government has mandated that SMS alerts be delivered in five official languages: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Hindi, and English.
To maximize comprehension and effectiveness, the implementation will be hyper-local. Messages in each district will be sent in a minimum of two local languages, chosen based on the specific geographical and demographic profile of the area.
A Proactive Step Against Dropout Risks
The decision to launch this system stems from data analysis via the Shiksha Setu App, which revealed that students often miss school due to various reasons, including family issues and a lack of awareness among parents about the importance of regular attendance.
The department's official statement highlighted that this state-of-the-art system is a crucial step toward strengthening student attendance. By enabling timely and focused intervention, it aims to bridge the communication gap between schools and homes, fostering a collaborative effort to keep children in the education system.
This automated alert system represents a shift from reactive to proactive governance in school education, using simple yet powerful technology to address a deep-rooted challenge.
