In a bid to enforce punctuality, the Centres Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has mandated that employees across the country must be in the office by 9:15 AM. This directive applies to all employees, including senior officers, and necessitates the use of a biometric attendance system—a practice that many have neglected since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic four years ago.The DoPT has clarified that any delay beyond 15 minutes will result in the deduction of half-day casual leave. Employees are also required to inform their supervisors in advance and apply for leave if they are unable to attend work on a particular day. The circular emphasises that officers will be responsible for monitoring the attendance and punctuality of their respective sections.Although central government offices operate from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, it is common for junior-level employees to arrive late and leave early, including those with public-facing roles, which inconveniences the public. The directive aims to rectify this by ensuring strict adherence to office hours.No Fixed Hours, Work From Home CultureSenior officials have raised concerns, noting that they often do not have fixed office hours and usually leave after 7:00 PM. They argue that the post-COVID era, with the widespread use of electronic files, has led to a culture of working from home, even on holidays and weekends. The Modi government, since taking office in 2014, has sought to enforce office timings—a move that faced resistance from employees who cited long commutes as a challenge.Biometric Attendance and ComplianceThe Aadhaar-enabled biometric attendance system, which was used to ensure timely attendance before COVID-19, had been suspended during the pandemic. Some senior officers had installed biometric devices on their desks to avoid queuing to mark their attendance. The latest directive refers to instructions issued last year, which called for the resumption of biometric attendance in February 2022. It warned against habitual tardiness and encouraged serious action against such behaviour. In departments with IT-enabled faceless mechanisms for public dealings, some employees have been skipping office or making brief appearances.Enforcing DisciplineThe new measures are expected to instill greater discipline among employees, although they may frustrate those accustomed to arriving at 10:00 AM or later. The directive is seen as a move to ensure accountability and punctuality in government offices, which are crucial for efficient public service delivery.
