Bengaluru, 18 October

All doctors working in taluk hospitals and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) under the Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Department will have to record their nighttime attendance on the Kartavya app. 

The app is the official mobile attendance tracking app developed by the Centre for e-Governance (CeG) and includes geo-fencing and mandatory check-ins. 

The order will come into force on 1 November, according to a circular by Harsh Gupta, Principal Secretary of the Praja Seva Department, on Sunday. It has received the Chief Minister’s approval and aims to ensure that officials and employees are on duty. 

Doctors are to check in at 9 pm every day when they are on duty. 

Commissioners and District Health Officers are required to review night-attendance reports every month. Erring doctors may face disciplinary action. 

This is a pilot project, and based on its results, it may be extended to other offices as well. 

Notably, contract and outsourced staff at PHCs and taluk hospitals will also have to register their attendance on the app. From 1 January, payments to such staff will be linked to their attendance. 

So far, attendance has been recorded on paper.