Himachal Education dept withdraws ‘Swift Chat’ attendance rule for MDM staff

Shimla, June 11,

Following a strong protest by the Mid Day Meal (MDM) Workers affiliated with CITU Himachal Pradesh Directorate of School Education has withdrawn the requirement to mark online attendance through Swift Chat platforms.

In a directive issued on June 10, 2025, the department acknowledged the concerns raised by the union through a letter dated May 21, 2025.

The union had highlighted that MDM workers were being unnecessarily compelled by school authorities to mark their attendance using online modes or “swift chat” applications.

The department also took note of the fact that in many schools, MDM workers were being asked to report as early as 9:30 a.m., despite their primary responsibility being to prepare and serve hot lunch by mid-day.

This led to additional and undue pressure on the workers, many of whom are not familiar with or equipped to use digital attendance systems.

In response, Director of School Education, Ashish Kohli (IAS), clarified in the communication that MDM workers should now be allowed to mark their attendance through the traditional attendance register, thus providing relief to the workers from the mandatory digital check-in process.

All Deputy Directors of Elementary and Higher Education have been directed to inform their respective field functionaries about the change and ensure compliance.

Team Himachal Scape