Bhubaneswar, June 13, (OT Webdesk) – In a bid to enhance workplace discipline and administrative efficiency, the Odisha government has rolled out stricter attendance rules for state employees.
The new directive mandates that all government staff must record both their ‘Office In’ and ‘Office Out’ timings through the biometric attendance system.
Failure to log the exit time will result in the day being marked as absent, barring official exemptions.
The General Administration and Public Grievance Department issued the notification, underscoring punctuality as a core principle of effective governance.
According to the revised norms, employees arriving late, up to 30 minutes, can be excused three times per month. Subsequent delays will result in casual leave deductions.
Additionally, staff must maintain a daily presence of at least 7.5 working hours unless covered under notified morning shift exceptions.
The policy provides exemptions for personnel working beyond office hours, attending official duties outside headquarters, or engaged in tasks during public holidays, provided they have prior approval.
However, departments such as the Governor’s Secretariat and the offices of the Chief Minister and Ministers remain outside the purview of these rules.
Department heads have been instructed to enforce roster-based attendance monitoring and conduct periodic compliance checks.
This move is expected to bolster efficiency and accountability within state administrative circles.
