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Jabalpur, Oct 24 (IANS) A group of 27 aggrieved teachers have filed a petition in the High Court of Madhya Pradesh in Jabalpur, challenging the mandatory implementation of ‘Hamara Shikshak (Our Teachers)’ app for electronic attendance marking.
The case filed by Jabalpur resident Mukesh Singh Barkade and his colleagues from different districts has brought the controversial e-attendance policy into the judicial spotlight, highlighting deep grievances over the intrusion of technology in the teaching profession.
Madhya Pradesh High Court has sought reply from the government. The next date of hearing is October 30, with the bench issuing directions to the state government to file a detailed reply by that date.
Advocate Anshuman Singh, representing the petitioners, argued before the court that the rollout of the app has created a host of practical difficulties, turning routine duties into bureaucratic hassles. It is not merely an administrative tool; Singh argued that this undermines the trust inherent in the profession.
At the core of the controversy is the school education department’s order, effective from July 1, making it mandatory for all government school teachers – who number over 3.5 lakh across the state – to register their attendance through the app.
On reaching school, teachers will have to capture a “live selfie” with students, upload it for GPS verification and repeat the process upon dismissal. Non-compliance invites salary deductions, a penalty that has already ensnared thousands of people.
According to teachers union officials in Vidisha district alone, 1,723 (79 per cent) out of 2,190 guest teachers have faced pay cuts due to failure to comply, leading to resentment among low-paid contract employees and fear of financial ruin.
Similar scenes have emerged in Anuppur, where a preliminary audit recorded zero compliance, following which the Directorate of Public Instruction (DPI) was issued a stern warning.
The response has been volcanic. Teachers unions, including the Provincial Teachers Association and Guest Teachers Federations, condemned the system as “inhumane and impractical”, a sentiment echoed at rallies in Umaria, Chhindwara and Indore.
In Damoh, angry faculty submitted a memorandum to Collector Sudhir Kumar Kochhar and vowed to protest on the road until the salary cut order was withdrawn. Balaghat witnessed a mass strike by thousands of guest teachers who condemned the lack of infrastructure. “Rural schools lack network coverage and many of us cannot afford smartphones or data packs,” lamented one protester.
Privacy concerns also loom large, with the app reportedly exposing personal details publicly, violating constitutional rights to dignity and data protection. A female teacher refused to go for e-attendance. When she was sent a notice by her department superiors, she responded citing violation of privacy, as the mobile phone was not provided by the government but was her personal property, and she could not give access to any third-party app.
A decade earlier, in 2014, the High Court had rejected a similar petition against phone-based e-attendance, considering it a progressive reform for accountability. Yet, the current iteration, supported by the ‘Our Teachers’ platform launched in June, has exacerbated the crisis.
Educators argue that this destroys professional autonomy, with teachers being treated as “machines” rather than consultants.
“We build the future, not just fill the register. This surveillance culture wounds the soul of teaching,” said a union leader from Gwalior, where more than 22,000 teachers are battling the mandate.
The government’s rationale is clear: to curb absenteeism and increase punctuality in a sector plagued by irregularities.
Officials at the Director of Public Instruction (DPI) emphasize that the app promotes transparency, citing pilot successes in urban areas. However, critics say that without addressing the rural digital divide – where 40 percent of schools remain offline – the policy is a recipe for inequality.
Guest teachers, often paid a meager honorarium of Rs 8,000-12,000 a month, have to bear the brunt, with unions threatening a state-wide agitation unless the High Court intervenes.
–IANS
SKTR/DPB