TN Medical Colleges told to Comply with NMC Biometric Guidelines

Tirunelveli: The Government medical colleges across Tamil Nadu have been asked to ensure that the faculty members and resident doctors use the Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS) for entry and exit, in line with the National Medical Commission's norms.

In this regard, the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DME) has issued a circular to the Deans of 36 government medical colleges in Tamil Nadu.

This direction from the DME comes after back on April 16, NMC had instructed all the medical colleges to fully switch to face-based Aadhaar authentication from May 1. 

Previously, all the private/government medical colleges in the country were marking attendance of faculty and staff through the AEBAS (Aadhar Enabled Biometric Attendance System) system.

Also Read: NMC implements Face-Based Aadhaar Attendance in Medical Colleges

However, issuing a notice, NMC on April 16 asked all the medical institutes to leverage the latest technology. Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the Commission had also announced to fully shift to FACE-based Aadhaar authentication for marking attendance on NMC AEBAS from May 1, 2025. 

Under the new biometric system, the doctors can mark their attendance only within a 100-metre radius of a designated GPS location inside the college campus.

Citing a show-cause notice issued by the NMC to the colleges, the DME has now asked them to comply with NMC's biometric attendance rule, The New Indian Express has reported.

Commenting on the new biometric system, a surgeon said, "The new system has already been implemented in Tamil Nadu medical colleges. In Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital (TvMCH), doctors can register their attendance at three different locations."

Meanwhile, an official from the DME office said that the new system has forced the private medical college faculty members to remain on campus during working hours. 

He further added, "After the system was introduced, many faculty members, especially retired government doctors working in private colleges, have started renting houses near their colleges. Those who used some tricks to bypass the fingerprint method can no longer do so with the face and GPS-based system. Government doctors, too, are being compelled to reduce private practice during duty hours."

Also Read: TN gets NMC relief as 35 GMCs given conditional approval