Karnataka to link Govt doctors' salaries to facial recognition attendance

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Health Department has announced the introduction of a facial recognition-based attendance system for doctors working in government hospitals, linking salary disbursement directly to verified attendance records.

Under the new system, doctors' salaries will be calculated based on the number of days and hours a doctor is verified as present and actively on duty. The department has also warned that repeated violations will lead to strict disciplinary and legal action.

The decision follows repeated complaints regarding irregular attendance patterns in government hospitals. Authorities have highlighted instances where doctors reportedly arrived late, left early, or marked biometric attendance without remaining physically present in their assigned hospitals. There have also been allegations that some medical professionals recorded attendance and later visited private facilities or attended to personal matters during official working hours.

According to Hans India, the new attendance system will use a mobile-based facial screening application integrated with GPS tracking. The system is designed to confirm not only attendance but also the doctor’s physical presence within the designated hospital premises during duty hours. If a doctor exits the defined hospital boundary without prior authorisation, the system will automatically flag the deviation.

The system was introduced to ensure continuity of patient care without delay. In government settings, especially at primary and secondary levels, doctor availability directly influences triage decisions, emergency response, inpatient rounds, and outpatient consultations. Delays caused by a doctor's absence can have serious clinical consequences, especially in high-volume public facilities.

The reform was introduced due to continued criticism from patients and civil society groups over delays in treatment attributed to the unavailability of doctors during duty hours. In several reported instances, patients alleged that they did not receive timely medical attention because medical staff were absent.

The system is expected to be implemented across primary health centres (PHCs), community health centres (CHCs), and major government hospitals under the state’s jurisdiction.