Biometric attendance mandatory for govt docs, says CM Nitish Kumar

While Bihar's government doctors are protesting against biometric attendance, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has said that the government doctors will have to use the biometric attendance system.

The government doctors in Bihar have been protesting against the new biometric attendance system in the government-run institutes and they also have other demands such as 30% reservation in PG seats and a stipend for DNB-sponsored seats. However, amid the doctors' protest, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has made it clear that these doctors have no choice but to use biometric attendance as it will be implemented in government medical colleges and hospitals.

Nitish Kumar on Monday said doctors and staff at state-run hospitals must mark their attendance through a biometric system and directed top officials to ensure this is complied with, as reported by Hindustan Times.

“Those medicos who joined state-run medical colleges and hospitals must have to follow the norms of marking their attendance through biometric system,” he said at his weekly Janata Darbar. 

“How would the medical colleges function if the doctors don’t turn up regularly? We are talking about opening medical college and hospitals at the district level,” he added.

He said this while responding to a plea from a petitioner, who claimed specialist doctors come only once a week at Madhepura-based Karoori Thakur Medical College and Hospital.

“Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan is not done and patients have to take recourse to private centres for pathological tests and the internal laboratory was not equipped with qualified manpower and machine even three years after its inauguration,” alleged the petitioner.

The petitioner also alleged that there were only two specialist doctors Karoori Thakur Medical College and Hospital, who come to the hospital once a week.

Read more:

• Patna docs on strike; Demands 30% reservation in PG seats, stipend for DNB sponsored seats
• Bihar medical colleges' eight doctors get shortlisted for ED post at AIIMS