Resumption of Biometric attendance

F.No.11013/9/2014-Estt.A-III
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Department of Personnel & Training

North Block, New Delhi
Dated the 1st November, 2021

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Preventive measures to contain the spread of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) — Resumption of Biometric attendance regarding.

The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department’s O.M. of even number dated 14.06.2021, whereby instructions regulating the attendance of Central Government employees with reduced staff, staggered timings and exemption to certain categories of employees from attending offices, which were in force up to 30.06.2021, were issued. It was also provided in the said OM dated 14.6.2021 that the biometric attendance would continue to remain suspended and physical attendance registers maintained until further orders.

2. The matter has since been reviewed and it has been decided to resume biometric attendance for all levels of employees, with effect from Monday the 8th November, 2021. It shall be the responsibility of Heads of Department to ensure that :-

(a) Sanitizers are mandatorily placed beside biometric machines and all employees sanitize their hands before and after marking of attendance.

(b) Physical distancing of six feet must be maintained by all employees while marking their attendance. If required, additional biometric attendance machines may be installed to avoid overcrowding;

(c) All employees shall be required to wear mask/face covers, at all times, including while waiting to mark their attendance;

(d) As far as possible, designated personnel should be deployed near bio-metric stations to clean/wipe the touchpad/scanner areas of biometric scanners frequently. Such personnel will also guide employees to maintain COVID appropriate behavior while in queue;

(e) As far as possible, adequate number of biometric stations should be placed in an outside/open air environment. If indoor, adequate natural ventilation must be maintained; and

(f) All offices shall undertake orientation of the employees on precautions to be followed.

(g) Meetings, as far as possible, shall continue to be conducted on video-conferencing and personal meetings with visitors, unless necessary in public interest, are to be avoided.

(h) All officers/staff shall strictly follow the COVID-appropriate behavior, at all times, in offices.

Sd/-
(Umesh Kumar Bhatia)
Deputy Secretary to the Govt. of India