Facial recognition tech to be the new normal

In post-Covid era, TS govt plans to ditch fingerprint-based attendance system as it is risky 
express Illustration
express Illustration

HYDERABAD: The State administration plans to replace biometric attendance system, which is in place at most government offices, with a facial recognition-based system in the post-Covid-19 era. With social distancing recommended and touching unidentified surfaces discouraged to stop the spread of the novel Coronavirus, the facial recognition-based attendance system would be beneficial. Officials in the Telangana government said they were also looking for other technologies in line with the WHO guidelines for an employee attendance system. 

Based on the existing technology used to disburse pensions, issue Covid-19 digital travel passes and pensioner’s life certificate, pilot projects of attendance system was implemented by the Telangana State Technology Services. Apart from that, it was also being used by the Technical Education Department of Khammam and in the Karimnagar Municipal Corporation, an official in the IT Department said.

The contact-less system works by bringing in the existing biometric form of the attendance infrastructure with cameras and a live facial recognition technology. Officials said location would be added to the system in the future. “Contact-based attendance system in all government departments will be replaced with facial recognition. The system is based on the existing pension disbursal technology,” an official said.

When the Covid-19 pandemic broke out, all establishments deactivated fingerprint-based attendance system as it posed a high risk of contracting the virus. The implementation of the technology would also depend on the Data Protection Bill pending in Parliament, the official said. The State government started introducing facial recognition in various modes of governance and even polling. Recently, during the municipal elections, 10 polling stations in Kompally used facial recognition to verify voters on a pilot basis.

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