Chandigarh: PGIMER to install the Biometric Attendance System to check late comers

Chandigarh: The Biometric Attendance System installation that have been in the education policy pipeline for a while now have got a vaulting jump with Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) giving a go ahead to it, for its administrative block. In all likelihood, to be incorporated in other parts of the institute and hospital, announced a spokesperson on Thursday.

Quotations for 12 biometric attendance machines have been called, revealed PGI officials.The institute’s spokeswoman Manju Wadwalkar confirmed that the administration had decided to install biometric attendance system at the institute. “It will start from Kairon (administration) block, followed by Nehru Hospital and then New OPD Block. Gradually, it would be extended to other areas as well,” she said.

During a recent meeting held with the heads of department, most of the senior faculty said they did not have any problem with the new attendance system, revealed a source . However, resistance to them also surfaced from a few sections of medical practitioners, at the PGIMER.

Reports about doctors coming late to the new OPD Block, which records a footfall of around 20,000 people daily, has inspired the PGI administration to have the Biometric Attendance system installed, to bring about order.

Some doctors do not show up at 10 in the morning and keep patients waiting. The PGI Director Dr Jagat Ram, is believed to have asked the Departmental heads to ensure timely arrival of doctors to the OPDs.

PGIMER doctors believe these biometric attendance installations will help keep a check on the employees at the institute. “It (biometric) should be installed across the institute. There are some doctors who report late to the OPDs. If the biometric attendance system is installed, the administration can keep a check on who is coming early and who is leaving late from the institute,” a senior PGI faculty member revealed.

Some technical issues needed to be resolved before the biometric machines are installed in the OPDs, said the PGI Faculty Association, Head, Dr. TD Yadav..

“The job of the faculty at the institute is not fixed. There are some doctors who check patients in the OPDs till 7pm. There are some technical things that need to be sorted out. We are not against the installation of biometric attendance system, but some issues need to be sorted out first,” Dr T D Yadav told the Indian Express.

When asked about how late comers to the OPDs need to be handled, Dr Yadav said these doctors should be identified and the administration take care of them.