How Biometric Attendance Systems Are Transforming Government Office Punctuality in Odisha

New Biometric Attendance Directive in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has taken a significant step to enhance punctuality and accountability within its offices by mandating the installation of biometric attendance systems in departments that have yet to adopt this technology.

Sources indicate that departments already utilizing biometric systems must ensure their devices are operational and connected to the Biometric Attendance System Portal created by the National Informatics Centre (NIC).

Designated officers will monitor and analyze biometric data every two weeks to address issues of tardiness and absenteeism.

This initiative aligns with the government's commitment to punctuality, which it views as essential for effective governance.

The General Administration and Public Grievances (GA&PG) department has instructed all state employees, from entry-level staff to senior officials, to strictly follow established office hours.

Employees must log their 'Office In' and 'Office Out' times daily using the biometric systems.

Failure to log 'Office Out' may result in being marked absent for that day.

In offices where attendance is recorded on a roster, the official reporting times will be considered the standard.

The government has permitted a grace period of 30 minutes for delays, applicable for up to three days each month, subject to approval from the Head of Office.

However, for every additional three days of tardiness, one day of Casual Leave (CL) will be deducted from the employee's leave balance.

Employees who work overtime or on public holidays will not face penalties if they have received proper authorization.

To maintain a minimum work standard, each employee is expected to be present for at least 7.5 hours daily, except on designated morning-only business days.

Staff members on official tours or working outside the office with appropriate authorization will not be penalized for failing to record attendance.

However, employees at the Secretariat of the Governor, as well as those in the offices of the Chief Minister and ministers, are exempt from these regulations.

Looking forward, the government intends to pilot AI-based cameras and RFID identity cards for attendance tracking.

This innovative system will first be implemented at Lok Seva Bhavan and Kharavel Bhavan, with plans for broader application across all state government offices.