Biometric technology proposed to monitor students in India, U.S.

According to the Deccan Chronicle, a state government in India is considering the use of biometrics to monitor attendance of students and faculty to address the issue of absenteeism in colleges and universities.

“To make sure both the stakeholders remain in class, academicians have asked the government to implement hourly attendance system using biometrics. The government is thinking whether it can introduce biometric attendance in all colleges across the state, which will also help keep track of teachers who work in more than one college simultaneously,” sources have said.

Some faculty members at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) use biometric attendance to keep track of their students. Also all medical colleges in the country use biometric technology to track attendance as the use of the technology has been made mandatory by the Medical Council of India.

In the United States, specifically in Maryland, Baltimore-area elementary students are now using palm scanners to pay for their lunches.  The scanners, maunfactured by Fujitsu, authenicate food purchases by having students place their hands over an infrared scanner that identifies them by the unique vein patterns in their skin.

The scanners have been located in three elementary schools in Carroll County and are expected to be expanded to entire school district within a year.  The system cost the school board approximately US$300,000 to purchase and install.

Article Topics

biometric monitoring  |  biometrics  |  government  |  time and attendance  |  United States