Pune ZP to launch geo-fencing technology-based online attendance for teachers

With an aim to encourage punctuality, minimize absenteeism, and introduce transparency and discipline into the education system, the Pune Zilla Parishad (ZP) is planning to launch a new online attendance system for teachers in its area, pipping the previous plan to introduce a biometric attendance system.

Teachers will be able to punch their attendance through a mobile application (app) only if they are present within the geographical limits of their respective schools, as identified by geo-fencing technology.

According to the data provided by the ZP administration, the new system will implement a mobile app that builds a virtual fence, or geo-fence, around every school utilizing GPS technology. Teachers will be able to mark their attendance only after they physically enter into this pre-defined area. The system will automatically capture their entry and exit from the zone, correctly validating their presence, based on location. The system is being rolled out in all district schools in this month. Previously, the administration had made up their mind to implement a biometric attendance system but the same was found to be expensive. The geo-fencing technique, wherein GPS is used to create a virtual fence around the school campus, is a more cost-effective and time-saving solution.

Gajanan Patil, Pune ZP chief executive officer, stated, "All schools within the district will implement geo-fencing for the attendance of teachers. The biometric facility was turning out to be costly, so this option was adopted. Once done, it will enable the administration to monitor attendance from one place."

With this system, the teachers need to be present at the school location to mark attendance. The administration hopes the system will encourage punctuality, discourage absence, and introduce transparency and discipline into the education system. A centralised dashboard at the Zilla Parishad level will give daily attendance records, facilitating the administrative work and avoiding any manual changes. As attendance will be location-based, it will also ensure accuracy," Patil said.

While teachers' unions had been against the online attendance system in the first place, the association last week conducted talks in order to understand the unions' concerns. In addition to teachers, primary health centre staff will also be made to work on online attendance. The decision comes in the wake of surprise checks by education officers in the past two months during which some schools were found functioning with students but without teachers. In some cases, students were left waiting outside for teachers who arrived late.