Face-based AADHAAR authentication for teaching positions in Karnataka Medical College

Use your finger authentication device to record photos of your attendance files. |Photo source: Sudhakara Jain

To effectively prevent malfeasance such as Ghost Academy, the National Medical Council (NMC) has taken steps to implement the Face-based Aadhaar Identity Authentication System (FACE AEBAS) to mark the attendance of teachers in all medical schools.

NMC said it has decided to turn completely to the new attendance system to leverage the latest technology and make the attendance process user-friendly.

Following the NMC order, the Medical Education Bureau of Karnataka has taken measures to implement faces in all government and private medical schools across the state since May 1. Currently, all medical schools and institutions use Aadhaar’s Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS) to support AADHAAR for teaching.

Dr. Bl Sujatha Rathod, Director of the Medical Education Bureau, told Hindu“So far, AEBA has been used for teachers in all medical schools to attend. However, NMC is implementing the face of Aebas, which is more advanced and real. The new system will be able to prevent ghost teachers and simplify teachers’ attendance. Zhong Lin, NMC will directly monitor the attendance system of medical schools.”

Many medical schools in India do not appoint teachers based on the number of students for various reasons, according to the NMC specification. The university is allegedly taking graduate medicine courses through ghost teachers such as anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, forensic medicine, pharmacology and microbiology, where students are smaller.

It is common for some ghost teachers to teach in three to four universities. In 2024, NMC fined 16 universities in Karnataka, ranging from Rs 200,000 to Rs 16,000, but there are no mature teachers.

To implement the Facial AEBA smoothly, universities will have to share the location of GPS in case they can mark attendance through mobile apps.

The university will then have to share information to the NMC via email and signatures and stamps from the dean of the college.

All teachers must install the Face Aebas app on their phones. The app will be activated on April 24. From May 1, the markers of attendance (via the finger authentication device AEBA) will be stopped and only the face will be activated.