Latest news with #StudentsAchievementTrackingSystem
Indian Express
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘It can have unimaginable consequences': experts urge Karnataka Govt to scrap facial recognition attendance in schools
The Karnataka Government's proposal to introduce an Artificial Intelligence-driven facial recognition attendance system in schools has sparked a strong backlash from educationists, rights groups, and civil society organisations. A coalition of 31 experts and organisations wrote to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah Monday, urging him to roll back the initiative, and instead strengthen community-based accountability in the education system. The Department of School Education and Literacy has announced plans to link a mobile-based facial recognition system to the Students Achievement Tracking System (SATS) to monitor absenteeism, and track beneficiaries of government welfare schemes such as midday meals. The scheme was piloted in a few schools and highlighted in the 2025-26 Karnataka Budget. However, its implementation has been delayed, and critics argue that it should not be launched at all. Experts fear that capturing and storing children's biometric data could expose them to serious risks, including surveillance, misuse, and trafficking. They pointed to past instances where data collected by the education department, such as SSLC examination results, was shared with private coaching centres for commercial purposes. 'If such sensitive facial data is harvested and misused, it can have unimaginable consequences, including falling into the hands of child traffickers and criminals,' said Niranjanaradhya V P, Convener, People's Alliance for Fundamental Right to Education (PAFRE). Concerns also centre on the misuse of technology for sexual exploitation. The joint statement highlights that advances in artificial intelligence have made it possible to morph children's images into explicit content, fuelling a rise in sextortion cases worldwide. Activists argue that classrooms are not public spaces but protected environments where children should feel safe. 'By introducing surveillance through facial recognition, we are creating vulnerabilities for children instead of protecting them. Schools must remain safe spaces, not zones of surveillance,' said Niranjanaradhya. The statement also draws attention to wider risks in India's 'leaky data environment,' where CCTV footage and personal details are often misused or leaked. It notes high-profile cases of breaches in public security systems, including the Digi Yatra app, and instances of private videos being circulated from surveillance feeds. Critics argue that if even secure aviation systems face breaches, data collected from schoolchildren would be even harder to safeguard. Internationally, several countries have restricted or banned the use of facial recognition technologies in educational settings. The UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Education has also recommended a global prohibition on such surveillance in schools. Even China, one of the world's leaders in AI surveillance, has moved to curb its use in classrooms. Activists further cautioned that the push for facial recognition reflects a misplaced faith in technology-driven 'quick fixes.' They argue that real accountability in schools can only come from empowering local communities, teachers, and parents. 'The government already mandates School Development and Monitoring Committees in every school. If these are strengthened and supported, they can ensure far greater accountability than any surveillance tool ever could,' said Niranjanaradhya. The joint statement also warned that deploying facial recognition in schools would put children's privacy, dignity, and safety at risk while offering little real benefit. The signatories — including academics, child rights organisations, teachers' unions, parents' associations, and public health experts — have demanded that the government drop the plan altogether and introduce a policy banning facial recognition in education.
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Drop facial recognition system in schools: Parents writes to CM Siddaramaiah
BENGALURU: A coalition of educationists, teachers' unions, parents' groups and civil society organisations has urged the state government to drop its plan to introduce facial recognition systems (FRS) in schools, warning that it could expose children to severe risks of data misuse, exploitation and abuse. The Department of School Education and Literacy has announced that, starting 2025-26, government and aided schools must implement a mobile-based AI-powered facial recognition attendance system linked to the Students Achievement Tracking System (SATS). Officials claim the move will help track absenteeism and ensure benefits under schemes like midday meals and eggs reach the right students. But signatories to the joint statement said such technologies are dangerous and unnecessary in school settings. They pointed out that facial data of children, if leaked or stolen, could be misused for child trafficking, blackmail or sexual exploitation, especially given the rise of AI-powered deepfake and image-morphing tools. 'Schools are supposed to be protected spaces,' the groups said. The joint statement sent to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, was endorsed by over 30 signatories, including the People's Alliance for Fundamental Right to Education, All India Primary Teachers' Federation, Parents' Association, Critical EdTech India, RTE Forum, Karnataka State Anganwadi Workers Federation, student unions, researchers including those from NLSIU, and public health experts.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
AI facial recognition move in Karnataka schools triggers privacy alarm bells
Bengaluru: The school education department's push to use AI-powered facial recognition system (FRS) for student attendance has ignited a fierce debate — even before it's officially launched. Experts warn that the move could expose sensitive student data to risks, calling on the authorities to roll back the process. The department of school education and literacy has decided to implement a mobile-based Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven Facial Recognition Attendance System, linked to the Students Achievement Tracking System (SATS) to identify regular absentees and provide accurate details on the govt scheme beneficiaries at schools, including midday meals. A group of 31 experts pointed out that FRS have been banned in many geographies for their enormous dangers to people in terms of misuse of the data collected. "A major risk from the use of facial recognition in educational institutions is due to a leaky data environment, data outages and even data theft is inevitable. For instance, data captured by CCTV cameras installed by public authorities is routinely shared in the public domain, rendering people vulnerable to shame, loss of dignity, and harm. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Dubai villas | search ads Get Deals Undo We know that data of students passing SSLC public examinations, collected by the department of education, is available to colleges and commercial institutions, which they use to call their families to sell their courses. Likewise, facial data collected by the education department is certainly likely to be 'sold' or stolen, and will reach the hands of child traffickers and other criminals," they pointed out. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru | Gold Rates Today in Bengaluru | Silver Rates Today in Bengaluru "Given that image morphing can convert any images of young girls and boys into potential crime-enabling items, any system that captures images of children must be allowed only in exceptional situations, where the need is very clear/strong, and where safeguards can be ensured. Routinely taking photos of children in school settings can cause huge vulnerabilities and harm. This is a real risk because classrooms are not 'public spaces' and are seen as 'protected spaces' where children are free to express themselves," the letter read. The group said a healthier way to make teachers accountable is by investing in the school - local community association-- School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC). Only free and open-source software (FOSS), which can be owned by the public system, must be used in school education. The signatories include VP Niranjanaradhya, convener, People's Alliance for Fundamental Right to Education (PAFRE), Gurumurthy Kasinathan, Critical EdTech India (CETI), Mitra Ranjan, RTE Forum, M Jayamma, Karnataka State Anganwadi Workers and Helpers Federation, Mathew, visiting professor, NLSIU, Dr Sylvia Karpagam, public health doctor, among others. The system was piloted in a few schools before chief minister Siddaramaiah announced it in the 2025 state budget. Though it was proposed to start in the academic year 2025-26, it is yet to take off in schools. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
New Indian Express
24-06-2025
- New Indian Express
E-attendance to be rolled out in government-aided schools in Karnataka
BENGALURU: To track regular absentees and improve transparency, the state government has ordered the implementation of a mobile-based facial recognition attendance system across all government and aided schools starting this (2025-26) academic year. As per the order dated June 21, the AI-driven attendance system will help generate real-time and accurate attendance records of over 52 lakh students across 52,686 schools — 46,460 government and 6,226 aided institutions. The initiative is part of the 'Nirantara' programme, announced by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in his 16th State Budget, to digitise attendance through facial recognition. To support this, the government has developed a dedicated mobile application integrated with the Students Achievement Tracking System (SATS). The application will use an Advanced Vector-Based Facial Recognition Engine, converting a student's facial image into a unique encrypted ID that cannot be reverse-engineered ensuring privacy and data security. The Karnataka State Data Centre at Vikasa Soudha will host the software and project data. Officials said the system will not only help in keeping track of absenteeism but also provide reliable data for the implementation of various schemes such as midday meals, egg distribution, and supply of shoes and socks. A pilot run of the system in Uttara Kannada district last year showed positive results, prompting the Department of School Education and Literacy to expand the initiative statewide.
The Hindu
21-06-2025
- The Hindu
Karnataka govt. orders ‘Mobile-based AI Driven Facial Recognition Attendance System' in all govt. and aided schools
The government ordered implementation of 'Mobile-based Artificial Intelligence (AI) Driven Facial Recognition Attendance System' in all its schools and aided institutions across the State, on Saturday. 'This is expected to provide accurate daily attendance records of schoolchildren, identify absentees, and ensure transparency in the implementation of student-focused programmes,' the order said. The government has developed a separate mobile application for this system and has included all information of students in the Students Achievement Tracking System. This attendance system will be implemented from the academic year 2025-26. The software application and data of this project will be hosted at Karnataka State Date Centre, Vikasa Soudha, soon, according to the order. School coverage A total of 52,686 schools will be covered under this programme, including 46,460 government and 6,226 aided ones and the attendance of a total of 52,55,738 students can be monitored through it. The number of students in government schools is estimated at 40,74,525 and those in aided schools at 11,81,213. This system will identify the facial data of students in real time and use an Advanced Vector-Based Facial Recognition Engine. The captured image of the student will be encrypted into a unique ID through the mobile application and the image cannot be reverse-engineered to reconstruct the captured image, ensuring maximum privacy and security. Facial recognition attendance system will also help monitor the number of students benefiting from government schemes, such as distribution of eggs, provision of midday meals, shoes, and socks. To assess its effectiveness, the Department of School Education and Literacy conducted a pilot project in schools of Uttara Kannada district in 2024. After its success, the department decided to extend the system across the State. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in his 16th State Budget, announced that the attendance of children would be monitored under the 'Nirantara' programme based on Face Recognition Technology. Benefits 'The attendance of students at all levels can be obtained in a short time and accuracy in it is achieved. The deficiencies in the current attendance record system can be corrected and accurate attendance can be obtained on a daily basis. Exceptional deficiency in attendance of any school can be monitored on a daily basis. Accurate information is available for the implementation of various incentive schemes. This can prevent unnecessary or excess allocation of funds. Having an accurate school attendance report on a daily basis helps in planning to improve the educational system in the respective schools,' the order read.
