Karnataka to roll out AI-based facial recognition attendance system in schools, PU colleges

The Karnataka government has approved the statewide implementation of an artificial intelligence-powered facial recognition system to mark student attendance in government and aided schools as well as pre-university (PU) colleges from the 2026-27 academic year.

Named Nirantara, the initiative is designed to automate attendance tracking, reduce administrative workload for teachers, and improve the accuracy of attendance records through facial recognition technology.

According to the Karnataka School Education and Literacy Department, the system will record student attendance automatically through a mobile application, eliminating the need for manual attendance registers.

The project forms part of the state's Nirantara program announced in the budget and is intended to make attendance management more transparent, efficient, and reliable across educational institutions.

The technology was initially piloted in Gadag district, where officials reported encouraging results. Following modifications based on feedback received during the trial phase, the government decided to expand the system across the state.

A government order has assigned the Centre for e-Governance responsibility for implementing the AI-driven attendance platform in government and aided schools and PU colleges.

Officials said the platform will operate on lines similar to the digital attendance system already used by government employees.

Education department officials said the technology is expected to reduce the time teachers spend on administrative tasks by enabling attendance for multiple students to be recorded simultaneously and uploaded automatically.

The state government has sanctioned approximately ₹2.16 crore for the rollout of the facial recognition-based attendance system.

Authorities have also been directed to ensure that the technology performs accurately under varying conditions, including low-light environments, and can reliably identify students.

The move is part of Karnataka's broader push to integrate artificial intelligence and digital technologies into public services.

In recent years, the state has introduced electronic attendance systems for government employees and expanded technology-enabled attendance monitoring for teachers.

Under the new policy, e-attendance will become mandatory for students enrolled in government and aided primary schools, high schools, and PU colleges across Karnataka beginning with the 2026-27 academic session.