The Centre’s Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has initiated stringent measures targeting tardiness among government employees.
Effective immediately, all officials, including senior personnel, are mandated to report to their offices by 9 am, with a 15-minute grace period, requiring them to clock in by 9.15 am.
As reported by The Times of India, the directive includes the compulsory use of the biometric attendance system, a practice that had waned during the Covid-19 pandemic over the past four years.
Employees failing to adhere to the stipulated timing without prior notice will face deductions equivalent to half-day casual leave.
The circular emphasizes the responsibility of employees to inform their absence in advance and to apply for casual leave accordingly. Supervising officers will monitor attendance closely within their respective sections.
The operational hours for central government offices are set from 9 am to 5.30 pm. The enforcement comes in response to persistent issues of late arrivals and early departures among junior-level employees, particularly affecting public service efficiency.
In contrast, senior officials argue their commitment to extended work hours, often remaining in office well beyond 7 pm, which complicates the imposition of fixed timings.
Previously introduced in 2014 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, attempts to enforce office hours were met with resistance, citing challenges such as long commutes.
The Aadhaar-enabled biometric attendance system, initially used for monitoring punctuality, was reinstated in February 2022 following its suspension due to the pandemic.
Last year’s directive reinforced the return to biometric attendance, underscoring the necessity to address habitual tardiness and premature departures seriously.
The new policy aims to instill discipline, potentially provoking discontent among employees accustomed to arriving well after the prescribed timing, sometimes even past 10 am.