The All Academics of Delhi Teachers’ Association (AADTA) on Friday objected to the University of Delhi’s decision to make Aadhaar-Based Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS) compulsory for teachers and to link attendance with salary disbursement, saying the move has triggered widespread anxiety among faculty members.
In a statement, the teachers’ body said the decision undermines existing academic accountability mechanisms and amounts to coercion.
The objection comes after the University of Delhi (DU) issued a notification on January 8 mandating biometric attendance and warning that salaries may not be processed from January 2026 onwards in case of non-compliance.
DU, in a separate statement issued on Friday, said several staff members from various faculties, departments, sections and “units” of the university are yet to report at the designated venue for completion of Aadhaar-based biometric registration.
The university cautioned that non-compliance with the directive may lead to non-processing of salaries from January 2026 onwards.
AADTA, in a statement addressed to DU vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh, said faculty members had earlier been informed that the proposal to implement biometric attendance for teachers had been “dropped” from the agenda of the Executive Council.
The issuance and enforcement of the January 8 notification, it said, directly contradicts the earlier assurance.
“Attendance is already governed by UGC (University Grants Commission) regulations, Delhi University ordinances and existing academic accountability mechanisms, which recognise teaching, research, examinations, fieldwork, extension activities and other academic responsibilities. Reducing these to biometric marking ignores the nature of academic work and violates principles of natural justice,” AADTA said.
The association also objected to DU referring to colleges as “units” in official communications, arguing that colleges are statutory academic institutions with their own governing structures and that such terminology erodes institutional autonomy.
Raising concerns over workload, AADTA said faculty members are already under pressure due to publication requirements for promotions under the Career Advancement Scheme and academic commitments such as research and seminars, particularly under the Undergraduate Curriculum Framework aligned with the National Education Policy 2020.
The biometric system, it said, would further undermine work-life balance and academic rigour.
AADTA alleged that imposing biometric attendance through executive notifications without deliberation in statutory bodies such as the Academic Council, Executive Council and college governing bodies sets a “dangerous precedent”.
The teachers’ body demanded immediate withdrawal of the January 8 notification as it applies to teachers and sought an assurance that no salary or service condition will be withheld due to biometric attendance.
It also called for discontinuation of the term “units” for colleges and said any changes to service conditions should be discussed by statutory bodies.
