The Department of School Education and Literacy, Karnataka has re-issued an order making e-attendance mandatory for students in government and aided primary schools, high schools, and pre-university colleges starting from the 2026–27 academic year. The move aims to strengthen digital governance in education and improve attendance monitoring through advanced technology.
In the previous state budget, the government had announced the ‘Niranthara’ programme, designed to record student e-attendance using facial recognition technology. An allocation of ₹5 crore was made for installing artificial intelligence-based mobile devices and related equipment. However, the initiative was not implemented during the 2025–26 academic year, leading to the withdrawal of the earlier order.
The department has now confirmed that the revised implementation will take place from 2026–27 through the E-Governance Centre under the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, with a revised project cost of ₹2.2 crore.
What is the Niranthara Programme?
The Niranthara programme is a digital attendance system aimed at:
- Recording student attendance through facial recognition
- Improving real-time monitoring of school attendance
- Enhancing transparency in public education institutions
- Reducing manual errors in attendance records
This AI-driven system will utilize mobile devices and other digital equipment installed in schools to ensure seamless attendance tracking.
KAMS App Mandatory for Staff
Alongside student e-attendance, the department has issued a separate order making attendance confirmation mandatory for all teaching and non-teaching staff through the ‘KAMS’ (Karnataka Attendance Management System) mobile application.
Under this directive:
- All staff in government schools and colleges must confirm attendance daily via the KAMS app.
- Digital attendance records will be monitored centrally.
- Compliance is compulsory from the notified academic year.
Budget Allocation & Implementation Details
- Initial Budget Allocation (2025–26): ₹5 crore
- Revised Implementation Cost (2026–27): ₹2.2 crore
- Implementation Agency: E-Governance Centre, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms
- Technology Used: AI-based facial recognition and mobile applications
Quick Reference Summary
| Component | Details |
| Policy Effective From | Academic Year 2026–27 |
| Student Attendance System | AI-Based Facial Recognition (Niranthara Programme) |
| Staff Attendance System | KAMS Mobile Application |
| Schools Covered | Govt & Aided Primary, High Schools & PU Colleges |
| Revised Project Cost | ₹2.2 Crore |
| Implementation Authority | E-Governance Centre (DPAR) |
Why Digital Attendance is Being Introduced
The government aims to:
- Improve student attendance rates
- Strengthen accountability among staff
- Digitize school administration processes
- Enhance data-driven decision-making in education
By leveraging AI and mobile-based systems, authorities intend to streamline attendance management and reduce discrepancies in manual registers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
| From when will e-attendance become mandatory? |
| It will be implemented from the 2026–27 academic year. |
| Which schools are covered under this order? |
| Government and aided primary schools, high schools, and pre-university colleges. |
| What is the Niranthara programme? |
| It is an AI-based facial recognition system to record student attendance digitally. |
| Was the programme implemented in 2025–26? |
| No, it was announced but not implemented, and the earlier order was withdrawn. |
| What is KAMS? |
| KAMS stands for Karnataka Attendance Management System, a mobile app for staff attendance. |
| Is KAMS mandatory for all staff? |
| Yes, it is mandatory for teaching and non-teaching staff in government institutions. |
| What is the revised budget for implementation? |
| ₹2.2 crore has been allocated for rollout through the e-governance centre. |
| Who will oversee implementation? |
| The E-Governance Centre under the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms. |
The re-issuance of the e-attendance order for the 2026–27 academic year marks a significant step toward digital transformation in school education. With the Niranthara facial recognition system for students and the KAMS mobile app for staff, the government aims to ensure improved accountability and transparency in educational institutions. Schools and staff are advised to prepare for smooth implementation ahead of the new academic session. For official updates, refer to the Department of School Education’s notifications and bookmark this page for further developments.
