Jharkhand Government Doctors Boycott Biometric Attendance System, Say, ‘not feasible for emergency services’

Government doctors across Jharkhand have decided to boycott the recently implemented biometric attendance system, calling it “not feasible” for emergency services. The doctors, who reported to their respective hospitals and health centers as usual, refrained from using the biometric system to mark their attendance. Instead, they opted for an offline mode of attendance as a form of protest.

Collective decision

This collective decision was made following a joint meeting of the Jharkhand unit of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Jharkhand Health Service Association (JHSA) on August 11. The protest comes in response to a government order mandating the biometric attendance system for all government employees. According to an IMA official, the directive sparked concern among medical professionals, particularly regarding its applicability to those in emergency services.

JHSA State Secretary Mrityunjay Thakur Singh expressed his concerns, noting that the government’s directive failed to address the unique demands of emergency services. He highlighted that the order stipulated fixed duty hours for general government employees from 10:30 AM to 5:00 PM, with secretariat employees working until 6:00 p.m. Singh questioned the practicality of these time frames for doctors, who often work beyond these hours, particularly in emergency situations. “Can doctors work in the given time frame? If a doctor works extra hours in an emergency, will he be paid for the service?” Singh asked, pointing out the ambiguity in the government’s communication.

Indian Medical Association

Pradip Kumar Singh, Secretary of Jharkhand IMA, further elaborated on the impracticality of the biometric system for those in emergency services, such as police and medical personnel. He argued that while the system might be suitable for employees with fixed duty hours, it poses significant challenges for doctors whose schedules are unpredictable. “A doctor cannot follow the biometric rules if he is engaged in critical surgery in the operation theatre,” Singh stated.

Singh also pointed out several technical flaws in the biometric system. He questioned how doctors on VIP duty or special assignments, such as election duty or during the Shravani Mela in Deoghar, would be able to log their attendance. Additionally, he raised concerns about the system’s inability to accurately reflect a doctor’s working hours. “If a doctor is on a night shift and marks his attendance, it will show ‘in’. When his duty gets over in the morning, the system will again show ‘in’,” he explained, illustrating the system’s limitations.

The lack of reliable internet connectivity in several parts of the state also adds to the difficulties. Singh emphasized that in areas without proper speed internet, the biometric system could cause significant problems for medical professionals trying to log their attendance.

Concerns regarding biometric attendance

Echoing these concerns, Dr. Ajit Kumar, a surgeon at Ranchi Sadar Hospital, stressed the need for emergency services to be excluded from the biometric attendance order. He highlighted the potential risks to patients if doctors are forced to adhere strictly to the system’s regulations. “I am a surgeon. I cannot leave a patient in the operation theatre midway through the operation if my duty is over. I have to perform it even if it takes two or three hours,” Dr. Kumar remarked, underscoring the life-and-death situations that often extend a doctor’s working hours beyond the standard limits.