Pune: The Maharashtra government has issued a resolution (GR) stating that the biometric attendance of junior college science students will be mandatory. The biometric system has been installed at junior colleges offering science from new the academic year (2018-19).
The government has taken the step with an intention to break the tradition of coaching classes. The move follows students’ inclination towards coaching classes because of which they don’t attend lectures in the college.
State Education Minister Vinod Tawde last year had stated that the biometric system will be introduced in colleges and it will be ensured that students will attend classes regularly. This will also help in curbing bogus admissions and restrict integrated programmes conducted by coaching classes.
“It has also been noticed that many junior colleges have signed MoUs with several private coaching classes. The government has also received such complaints as students remain absent for most of their academic sessions.
Also, legislative council members have raised the same issue. Therefore, to curb such practices, the State government has decided to make biometric attendance compulsory in junior colleges (science stream),” stated the GR.
At present, the system has been installed in junior colleges (science) in five divisions including Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, and Aurangabad. The GR stated that it will be slowly extended to other divisions as well.
The government has directed all junior colleges concerned to install biometric machines within a month of the issuance of the GR. The area-wise education officers should survey if the biometric system has been installed at these colleges.
If a junior college fails to follow the instructions, their approval will be cancelled.
