Raj plans facial recognition system for school attendance, AI labs for learning

Jaipur: The Rajasthan govt is considering introducing a biometric-based Student Facial Recognition System (FRS) in govt schools and anganwadi centres to record attendance and ensure transparency in delivering benefits to children.The proposal is part of the Budget 2026–27 announcements and aims to cover students studying in govt schools as well as children aged 3–6 years enrolled at anganwadi centres. A meeting chaired by state project director Anupama Jorwal on March 14 reviewed the implementation of provisions related to the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Cell under the budget announcements. Officials discussed using technology to improve learning outcomes through AI-driven personalised content and technology-enabled teaching methods. The plan also includes setting up AI labs designed for adaptive learning tailored to students' needs. The education department aims to roll out the new attendance system from April 1, coinciding with the start of the new academic session. The system will record the attendance of both students and teachers in schools. Officials said the biometric-based system would simplify attendance tracking. Instead of teachers marking attendance manually for every student, it would be recorded automatically through facial recognition devices installed in govt schools. Teachers' attendance would also be logged through the same system. Sources said the idea gained momentum after senior officials interacted with students from Assam who visited Rajasthan in the last week of Jan under an exchange programme. In 2022, the Assam govt introduced a mobile application that digitally records the attendance of students and teachers using AI-linked software. The initiative also helped track the distribution of govt benefits to students and won the Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in April last year. Officials said Rajasthan is studying the model while planning its own technology-based monitoring system.