BENGALURU: A coalition of educationists, teachers’ unions, parents’ groups and civil society organisations has urged the state government to drop its plan to introduce facial recognition systems (FRS) in schools, warning that it could expose children to severe risks of data misuse, exploitation and abuse.
The Department of School Education and Literacy has announced that, starting 2025-26, government and aided schools must implement a mobile-based AI-powered facial recognition attendance system linked to the Students Achievement Tracking System (SATS). Officials claim the move will help track absenteeism and ensure benefits under schemes like midday meals and eggs reach the right students.
But signatories to the joint statement said such technologies are dangerous and unnecessary in school settings. They pointed out that facial data of children, if leaked or stolen, could be misused for child trafficking, blackmail or sexual exploitation, especially given the rise of AI-powered deepfake and image-morphing tools.
“Schools are supposed to be protected spaces,” the groups said. The joint statement sent to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, was endorsed by over 30 signatories, including the People’s Alliance for Fundamental Right to Education, All India Primary Teachers’ Federation, Parents’ Association, Critical EdTech India, RTE Forum, Karnataka State Anganwadi Workers Federation, student unions, researchers including those from NLSIU, and public health experts.
“Even today, SSLC exam data collected by the education department is used by private colleges and coaching centres to cold-call parents and sell their courses. If such misuse happens with exam records, facial recognition data could end up in the hands of criminal networks,” the statement said.
The signatories highlighted that the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education has explicitly called for a ban on facial recognition in educational institutions, while even countries like China, a global leader in AI technology, have begun curbing its use in schools.
Instead of relying on “quick digital fixes” to enforce accountability, the groups urged the government to strengthen School Development and Monitoring Committees, and invest in community-based oversight of schools.