Sinduja Jane By

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Health Department is planning to introduce a biometric-enabled attendance system linked with Aadhaar card for medical students. In the backdrop of the National Testing Agency (NTA) seeking permission from the Centre to use Aadhaar data for NEET in 2020, the move is expected to keep a check on impersonation and ensure that those who take the test are the ones who attend classes.

Earlier, the Directorate of Medical Education was working to introduce biometric attendance system linked with Aadhaar number for teaching faculty, following an order from the Medical Council of India’s Board of Governors to prevent duplication of teaching faculty.

However, in the wake of impersonation cases surfacing, the Health Department is planning to introduce the new system for MBBS students from the first year. The Aadhaar-inked biometric fingerprint attendance machines will be installed at all hospitals and institutions of the Directorate of Medical Education, Directorate of Public Health, Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services.

However, a few doctors are sceptic of the proposal. “We are not sure how much fool-proof it will be. As of now, a few medical colleges have biometric attendance for faculty but, a majority of doctors fake fingerprints. A few doctors have also raised objections to the proposal,” said a government doctor.