Assam launches automated SMS alerts to curb student absenteeism

The Assam government has rolled out a technology-based system to address student absenteeism in government schools by automatically alerting families and teachers when students stay away for extended periods.

The Department of School Education on Dec 15 introduced an automated SMS alert mechanism linked to the Shiksha Setu application, which already tracks daily attendance of students and teachers across the state.

Under the new system, parents and class teachers will receive alerts if a student remains absent for five consecutive days.

Officials said attendance data showed that students often miss school due to family-related challenges, limited parental awareness, and other social factors.

The alert system is intended to ensure early intervention before prolonged absence leads to dropouts.

“The department, in order to address the issue and improve students’ attendance, has launched a new, state-of-the-art Automated SMS-Based Absenteeism Alert System, and this technology-driven initiative is a crucial step toward strengthening student attendance, promoting educational continuity, and enabling timely, focused intervention to mitigate dropout risks across all schools,” the official statement said.

According to the department, the system will automatically send standardized SMS notifications at fixed intervals for every five days of continuous absence, including on the fifth, tenth, and fifteenth day.

Alerts will continue until the student resumes regular attendance, ensuring sustained follow-up with families.

Messages will be sent simultaneously to class teachers and parents or guardians. Teachers will receive alerts specifying the student’s name, class, and section, allowing them to contact families directly.

Parents will receive concise reminders highlighting their child’s continued absence from school.

To ensure wider accessibility, the SMS alerts will be delivered in five official languages: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Hindi, and English.

Each district will receive messages in at least two locally relevant languages based on demographic needs, officials said.