The state government is exploring the possibility of introducing biometric attendance for students and faculty to tackle the problem of frequent agitations and teacher-absenteeism in higher education institutions.
The government has taken serious note of student clashes in various colleges in the city and is exploring ways to control them, sources said, adding that it had sought views from various academicians about the remedies.
Several academicians felt that the government could eliminate this problem only when students and teachers remain in class during working hours. “To make sure both the stakeholders remain in class, academicians have asked the government to implement hourly attendance system using biometrics. The government is thinking whether it can introduce biometric attendance in all colleges across the state, which will also help keep track of teachers who work in more than one college simultaneously,” the sources said.
Some faculty in the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) use biometric attendance to keep track of their students, besides all medical colleges in the country use it as it had been made mandatory by the Medical Council of India.
While students welcome the biometric attenda
nce system, the faculty seem to be against the idea. Mr Saravanan, assistant professor in a private arts college, said the government should fill all vacant posts in colleges before it implements biometric attendance.
“The government is questioning the integrity of teachers by implementing the biometric attendance,” he said.