In a major push for workplace discipline and administrative efficiency, the Government of Odisha has issued new attendance guidelines for all state government employees.
Under the new directive, failure to record ‘Office Out’ time in biometric systems will be treated as absence for the day.
The General Administration and Public Grievance Department issued the order, emphasizing punctuality as a core principle of good governance.
Key Rules Under the New Attendance Norms:
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Biometric Entry & Exit: All employees must record both ‘Office In’ and ‘Office Out’ times using the biometric attendance system.
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Absence Policy: If ‘Office Out’ is not recorded, the day will be treated as absent from duty unless exempted for official reasons.
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Late Arrivals:
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Delay of up to 30 minutes may be condoned up to 3 days a month.
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Beyond that, 1 day of Casual Leave will be deducted for every 3 instances of late arrival.
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Working Hours: Employees must be present for at least 7.5 hours on each working day (except on days with notified morning shifts).
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Exceptions:
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Employees working late evenings or on public holidays may be exempt from penalties with prior approval.
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No penalties for official duties outside the office if sanctioned by competent authorities.
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Exempted Offices: Staff working in the Governor’s Secretariat, and offices of the Chief Minister and Ministers are not bound by these rules.
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The notification underlines that department heads must also issue roster-based attendance orders where applicable, and compliance will be reviewed periodically.
