UID number to check teachers' absenteeism?

Can unique identification number help check absenteeism of teachers in schools? Chief of Unique Identification Authority of India Nandan Nilekani thinks so.

Speaking at a function to release 'Annual Status of Education Report' of NGO Pratham, Nilekani said that UIDAI wants to use technology for better delivery in education.

He said the attendance of teachers could be monitored by their IDs which will bear their biometric impression.

Similarly, institutions can be given IDs, thereby helping the government to have a money tracking system for them.

Nilekani said UIDAI wants to provide IDs to 200 million children in the next five years.

He asked Pratham to be associated in this drive.

The report portrays a poor picture of level of competence of children in schools in rural India. Pratham's chief Madhav Chavan said that the NGO is planning to launch testing centres where students can come on their own to test their level of competence.

"Hopefully, we will start such centres by next year in collaboration with some other NGO. Any student can go any day to the testing centre to test their abilities," he said.

Image: Nandan Nilekani