CCTVs and biometric attendance in Koraput KGBVs

To improve the functioning of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs), the Koraput district administration has started installing CCTV cameras and biometric attendance equipment in all the 14 district schools .
The move came after a series of complaints regarding irregularities in KGBVs, which function under a scheme launched in 2004, for setting up residential schools at upper primary level for girls belonging predominantly to the SC, ST, OBC and minority communities.
"CCTV cameras have so far been installed in three schools. We expect to complete the work in all schools soon. The purpose of putting the schools under CCTV surveillance is to monitor the kind of food being given to the inmates and to ensure their safety and security," Suvendu Barik, gender coordinator of district primary education programme, said.

Four CCTV cameras and a bio-metric machine to take attendance of both students and teachers are being installed at each KGBV.
Officials said one CCTV camera each will be installed at the entrances to the school and the hostel to keep an eye on the trespassers.
Similarly, one camera each will be installed at the kitchen and the dining hall of the hostel to ensure that the students are served good quality food.

"Fingerprints of both the students and the teachers will be taken in the bio-metric attendance machine to check false attendance at the hostels," said Barik.
Around Rs 8 lakh will be spent for the purpose, he added. According to Barik, the CCTV camera footages will be checked once a month.

Tribal-dominated Koraput has one KGBV at each block with classes from I to VIII where female dropouts are enrolled.
After Class VIII they are mainstreamed to general schools. At present, around 1,400 students are studying in the district's 14 KGBVs, managed by the school and mass education department.