In a bid to improve attendance and office discipline among government employees, including IAS officers, Rajasthan’s Administrative Reforms Department has submitted a proposal to introduce a mobile app for marking attendance. The plan is currently under review by senior authorities.
Once the proposal is approved and implemented, all government staff will be required to record their attendance using the mobile app. The app will not only log the time of arrival and departure but also make it compulsory for employees to be in the office from 9:30 AM to 6 PM.
According to officials, the app is being developed by the Department of Information Technology and Communication, while the initiative itself is from the Administrative Reforms Department. The app is expected to ensure transparency and accountability in government offices.
Not Mandatory for IAS Officers Yet
At present, attendance is not mandatory for IAS officers, although some do mark it voluntarily. On the other hand, RAS officers, Secretariat staff, and other employees still record attendance manually in registers.
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In earlier efforts, the Vasundhara Raje government had introduced biometric machines for this purpose. However, those machines are no longer in use.
Concerns Raised by Employee Federation
The proposal has drawn mixed reactions. Gajendra Singh Rathore, President of the All-Rajasthan State Employees Joint Federation (United), expressed concerns. He pointed out that many employees still don’t use Android phones, making the app inaccessible for some.
“If the government is serious about this app, they should first provide proper training and distribute phones to employees who don’t have one.”
Push for Accountability
Rajasthan’s Chief Secretary Sudhansh Pant had earlier issued strict orders to all departments, asking their employees to work for at least 8 hours every day. He also conducted surprise inspections to ensure that government services benefit the public.