In a significant move towards digital governance, the Department of School Education and Literacy in Karnataka has officially launched an artificial intelligence-based attendance system for its employees. This new initiative, which went live on Monday, mandates the use of facial recognition technology for marking attendance, directly impacting over 40,000 teaching and non-teaching staff across the state's education offices.
How the AI-Powered System Works
The system requires employees to register and verify their identity using a one-time process that involves facial biometrics. Once registered, staff members must mark their attendance twice daily—once in the morning and once in the afternoon—by looking into a camera connected to the system. The AI software then matches their live image with the registered biometric data to record their presence accurately.
The rollout is being implemented in phases. The first phase has been initiated at the department's head office located in the Bengaluru North block. Following this, the system will be extended to all district and block-level education offices throughout Karnataka. The technical execution of this project is being managed by the Centre for Smart Governance, a government body.
Addressing Proxy Attendance and Enhancing Transparency
A primary driver behind this technological shift is the elimination of proxy attendance, a long-standing issue in government departments. Traditional manual or card-based systems were susceptible to manipulation, where colleagues could mark attendance on behalf of absent employees. The AI-based facial recognition system is designed to be foolproof against such practices, ensuring that the person marking the attendance is physically present.
Commissioner of Public Instruction, R. Vishal, confirmed the launch and emphasized its importance for administrative efficiency. The system is integrated with the existing Human Resources Management System (HRMS), allowing for seamless data flow. Attendance records will be automatically processed for salary calculations and leave management, reducing manual paperwork and potential errors.
Implementation and Future Scope
The directive for using this system has been communicated to all Deputy Directors of Public Instruction (DDPIs) and Block Education Officers (BEOs). They are responsible for ensuring its adoption in their respective jurisdictions. The government sees this as a crucial step in modernizing administrative functions and instilling a greater sense of discipline and accountability among its vast workforce.
This move aligns with a broader trend of integrating AI and facial recognition technology into public service domains across India. By automating a routine yet critical function like attendance, the department aims to free up human resources for more substantive educational planning and monitoring tasks. The success of this pilot in the education department could pave the way for similar implementations in other state government departments, marking a new chapter in Karnataka's e-governance journey.
