Smartphone diktat: MP high court rejects teachers’ petition

Madhya Pradesh high court dismissed the review petition by school teachers challenging the move of education department to introduce e-attendance through mobile phones.

Madhya Pradesh high court (HC) on Friday dismissed the review petition by school teachers challenging the move of education department to introduce e-attendance through mobile phones.

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The bench headed by justice PK Jaiswal and justice DK Paliwal once again dismissed the writ petition and held that the initiative of monitoring teacher’s attendance through mobile phones as a good move.

The court maintained that the move is not intended towards breaching privacy of teachers, as alleged by the schoolteachers.

However, the teachers’ association is planning to amend the petition and submit before court once again on Monday.

Earlier on Thursday, about 300 women teachers approached the high court to protect their right to privacy, as the government’s move will make them vulnerable to traceability at any time of the day.

They also requested that their petition be heard by a double bench consisting at least one female judge, who would understand contention of about 22,000 women teachers in the region.

The decision of making use of mobile technology for recording attendance and keeping an eye on teacher’s location during working hours was taken by education department to improve quality of education in government schools and to address the issue of teacher’s absenteeism.

The education department has launched this initiative in Indore division as a pilot project, and it would implement all over the state depending on its success.

It requires school teachers to carry a GPS enabled-smartphone or provide them with their mobile number and IEMI code.