Northeast Desk, 1st September: The Sikkim government has issued a memorandum mandating the use of an ‘Online Attendance Management System’ (OAMS) utilizing facial recognition technology for the automation of daily attendance of government employees in the Tashiling Secretariat, Block ‘A’. The system is set to be implemented in the first phase starting September 2, 2024.
As part of this initiative, the following key instructions have been issued for strict compliance:
- Working Hours: The state government has established the normal working hours in government offices from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM. The second and fourth Saturdays of each month are designated as government holidays.
- Reporting Time: All government employees are required to report for duty by 10:00 AM and remain in their respective offices until 4:30 PM.
- Facial Recognition Devices: Two facial recognition devices have been installed at the Tashiling Secretariat—one at the entrance of Gate No. 1 and another near VIP Gate No. 2. These devices will capture the attendance of employees.
- Attendance Procedure: Registered employees must stand in front of the facial recognition cameras to record their attendance. Entry must be recorded by 10:15 AM (with a 15-minute grace period allowed for exceptional circumstances) and exit at 4:30 PM.
- Late Reporting: Employees reporting after 10:30 AM or leaving before 4:30 PM without a valid official reason will automatically have a half-day casual leave deducted from their leave account.
- Unauthorised Absence: Any employee absent from duty during office hours without a proper leave application will be considered as unauthorized absence and will face disciplinary action as per relevant rules.
- Registration Compliance: Employees who fail to register for the Facial Recognition System by August 31, 2024, will be marked as absent.
The memorandum also directed all government employees to ensure their registration and compliance with the attendance system. Nodal officers for the facial recognition system in respective departments will submit daily attendance reports, while Heads of Departments (HoDs) will monitor attendance on a weekly basis.