MP HC rejects PIL against mandatory e-attendance system for govt school teachers

Jabalpur, Nov 4 (IANS) The Madhya Pradesh High Court has dismissed a public interest litigation challenging the mandatory e-attendance system for government school teachers, paving the way for the policy to continue without judicial hurdles.

A division bench of Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf ruled that the matter falls under executive policy and requires no court intervention.

The petition was lodged by Sunil Kumar Singh, chairman of the Guest Teacher Coordination Committee in Ashoknagar district. It contested a June 20 order from the School Education Department that enforced digital attendance via the Humare Shikshak app for over 350,000 teachers starting July 1, 2025.

Singh highlighted connectivity gaps in rural pockets, warning that poor network coverage could lead to unintended absences and salary deductions for educators far from reliable signals.

Appearing for the state, Additional Advocate General Nilesh Yadav countered that the platform promotes real-time monitoring, curbs proxy teaching, and feeds into data-driven transfers and promotions.

He assured the bench that offline fall-back options exist for low-coverage zones and that district officers have conducted hands-on sessions to familiarise staff with geo-tagged photo uploads within designated morning windows.

During arguments, the court noted the system's alignment with broader Education 3.0 reforms aimed at administrative efficiency.

It was observed that alternative mechanisms adequately address rural constraints, rendering the challenge premature.

After the bench signalled its inclination, Singh sought and received permission to withdraw the plea, effectively closing the case. The verdict reinforces the department's rollout, which faced initial resistance, including a partial boycott on launch day when fewer than ten per cent of teachers logged in.

Officials report compliance has since climbed above 90 per cent as training ramps up and signal boosters reach remote blocks.

State Education Minister Rao Uday Pratap Singh welcomed the order, stating it validates efforts to bring transparency to a sector serving millions of students across 1.2 lakh schools.

--IANS

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