The Chhattisgarh government's decision to implement a digital attendance system through the Vidya Samiksha Kendra (VSK) app for school teachers has triggered strong opposition from teacher organisations across the state. The new system, which links attendance records with salary payments, has drawn criticism over alleged technical glitches, inaccurate location tracking and poor network connectivity, particularly in remote areas.

Teacher associations have warned of a statewide protest on August 7 if the government proceeds with salary deductions based solely on the app's attendance records.

Attendance Now Linked to Salary

Under the new arrangement introduced by the School Education Department, teachers are required to punch in upon reaching school and punch out at the end of the working day using the VSK mobile application.

The department has clarified that salary payments will be processed based on the digital attendance recorded through the app. Failure to register attendance or complete check-in and check-out on time could affect salary disbursement.

Teachers Raise Technical Concerns

The digital attendance system has come under scrutiny after teachers alleged that the application frequently records incorrect GPS locations and inaccurate timings.

According to teacher organisations, many schools, especially those located in rural and forested regions, continue to face weak internet connectivity, making it difficult to mark attendance consistently.

A video circulating on social media reportedly shows teachers in Koylibeda block of Kanker district crossing a flooded river by boat to reach school, highlighting the practical challenges faced in remote areas.

Organisations Question Reliability of App

The Chhattisgarh Teachers Association and the Chhattisgarh School Teachers' Union have jointly questioned the reliability of the VSK application.

State President Sanjay Sharma of the Chhattisgarh Teachers Association and State President Virendra Dubey of the Chhattisgarh School Teachers' Union said teachers are regularly attending schools and conducting classes, but technical issues prevent their attendance from being properly recorded.

They argued that teachers should not be penalised for faults in the digital system.

GPS and Network Issues Reported

Teacher groups have highlighted several technical problems with the application, including:

• Incorrect GPS location tracking.

• Poor mobile network connectivity in rural schools.

• Server-related issues.

• Login failures.

• App crashes and hanging.

• Incorrect check-in and check-out timings.

• Operational difficulties in schools functioning in two shifts.

Teachers also shared screenshots alleging that the application displayed check-in status even during scheduled check-out hours.

Attendance Figures Questioned

The School Education Department has claimed that around 83 percent of teachers are successfully recording attendance through the VSK app.

However, teacher organisations questioned the claim, arguing that recording attendance occasionally is different from maintaining complete attendance records throughout the month without interruptions.

They have asked the department whether it can certify that attendance for the entire working day—from morning reporting to evening departure—was successfully captured for 83 percent of teachers during July.

Demand for Manual Attendance Recognition

Teacher unions have demanded that the traditional attendance registers maintained by school principals and headmasters continue to be recognised until the VSK application functions reliably.

According to the organisations, if a teacher is physically present in school and has signed the attendance register, salary should not be withheld merely because the mobile application failed to record attendance due to technical reasons.

Call for Biometric System

The organisations have also suggested that if the government intends to implement a fully digital attendance mechanism, it should install biometric attendance machines in all schools instead of relying exclusively on a smartphone application.

They argue that biometric systems would be more reliable, particularly in areas with unstable internet connectivity.

Protest Planned on August 7

The Chhattisgarh Teachers Association has warned that it will stage demonstrations outside Drawing and Disbursing Officer (DDO) offices across the state on August 7 if salaries are affected due to app-related issues.

Meanwhile, the Chhattisgarh School Teachers' Union has stated that any punitive action against teachers could lead to larger protests, including demonstrations outside the Chief Minister's residence.

With teacher organisations demanding technical improvements and recognition of manual attendance records, the issue now rests with the School Education Department, which will have to balance administrative reforms with concerns raised by educators across the state.