No room for furlough: HP Govt brings teachers under online check-in and check-out system
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Shimla, June 11
In a major move to tighten accountability in government schools, the Himachal Pradesh Education Department has made online check-in and check-out attendance mandatory for all teaching and non-teaching staff.
The new directive is aimed at curbing absenteeism, ensuring punctuality and strengthening monitoring of employees during school hours.
The Directorate of School Education has issued instructions to all Deputy Directors of School Education and Block Elementary Education Officers (BEEOs) directing strict compliance with the new attendance protocol through the Swift Chat (VSK Portal).
Under the revised system, staff in summer schools will be required to mark their arrival by 10:30 am and departure by 3:15 pm.
In winter schools, the check-in deadline has been fixed at 11:00 am, while check-out must be recorded by 4:15 pm.
The department has made Heads of Schools solely responsible for ensuring timely submission of attendance records of all schools functioning under their respective complexes, including primary, middle and high schools.
Any delay or failure in uploading attendance details within the prescribed schedule will be treated as a breach of administrative duty.
Education Department officials said the initiative is part of a broader effort to bring greater transparency and efficiency to the functioning of government schools.
The digital attendance mechanism will enable authorities to keep a closer watch on staff presence and ensure that employees remain accountable throughout the school day.
The move assumes significance at a time when the state government is pursuing a series of reforms in the education sector aimed at improving academic standards and administrative efficiency.
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By introducing stricter attendance monitoring, the department hopes to discourage unauthorized absence and ensure that teachers and staff remain available for students during designated school hours.
Officials said the online system would also facilitate real-time monitoring and generate attendance records that can be reviewed by higher authorities whenever required. The department has warned that non-compliance with the new guidelines will invite administrative action.
With the latest order, government school employees across Himachal Pradesh have effectively been brought under a digital attendance scanner, leaving little room for absenteeism or laxity in the discharge of official duties. :::
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