Scholarship scam: Social justice dept mandates biometric attendance

Less than a week since it promised action, Gujarat’s department of social justice and empowerment has found a way to counter a scholarship scam: biometric markers for students’ attendance.

As previously reported by Gujarat Samachar, private universities have been accused of siphoning crores in scholarships meant for impoverished students from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes.

The department has now responded to these allegations by mandating that all private universities install fingerprint machines to ensure that students do not coast through courses without attending classes or taking exams. The government will train institutes in how to set up these machines and operate them, an official said, adding that private universities are also being investigated for participating in the scam. 

In related news, the department has also announced that biometric attendance will be compulsory in institutions that train candidates preparing to sit for competitive recruitment exams.