Mangalore University will soon introduce biometric attendance system with facial recognition for students and teaching and non-teaching staff in four of its campuses. This follows a directive from the Karnataka government. Postgraduate campuses at Mangalagangothri and Chikkaluvara, and two constituent colleges in Mangaluru and Kodagu will start the new system for teaching and non-teaching staff in the next two months. Students will be included from the next academic year.
Some 32 of 37 Government First-Grade Colleges in Udupi, Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu districts have already installed the biometric system. Chairing the fourth general meeting of the university’s academic council, vice-chancellor K Byrappa said the government has taken this step to combat the unhealthy practice of colleges condoning attendance shortage by asking students to pay hefty fees. From now on, colleges must ensure students have a minimum 75% attendance and have no powers to condone shortage, Byrappa said. BA Patil, joint director of collegiate education, said the new attendance system has been installed in his office too. Efforts were on to supply such systems for the remaining five colleges.
“We’ve ordered the system for the Government First-Grade College at Vittal and one system installed in Virajpet is under repair,” Patil said. The university will install these systems from its funds, Byrappa said, adding the constituent and private colleges will have to do so out of their funds. Incidentally, private universities already have this system for their staff and students to ensure authentic record of attendance of all stakeholders and to avoid students’ complaints that the records were tampered with.
Following a directive from state government, Mangalore University will soon introduce biometric attendance system with facial recognition for students and teaching and non-teaching staff in four of its campuses
