IT companies, BEML too temporarily drops biometric system

Bengaluru: As a precautionary measure to control the spread of coronavirus or COVID-19 in Karnataka, the State Government has planned to suspend biometric attendance for the time-being at its offices, also in corporate and IT companies, Medical Education Minister Dr. K. Sudhakar said yesterday.

“Our Additional Chief Secretary has already spoken to IT companies yesterday on behalf of the Government regarding guidelines that need to be followed… we will do it in the Government also in the days to come,” Sudhakar told reporters here.

The Centre on Friday decided to exempt employees from marking their attendance on the biometric system over virus spread concerns. An order issued on Friday by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT, exempted employees from using the machine till Mar. 31. However, all the employees are required to mark their attendance in the attendance register,” the order said.

 Many IT companies including Infosys and Public Sector Unit Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) in Mysuru have already suspended biometric attendance. They have asked the employees to show their electronic ID cards that is linked to a device at the entrances of the buildings to record attendance. Some companies have opted for the old method of physical attendance.