The Sikkim government is preparing to introduce an Aadhaar-enabled attendance system for its government employees from October 1, 2026. The new system, known as the Aadhaar Enabled Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS), will initially be implemented at State and District Headquarters before being extended across the state.
Sikkim Government to Start Aadhaar-Based Biometric Attendance From October 1
The move will shift government attendance records to a digital system linked with employees’ Aadhaar or UID details. According to the reported government instructions, both regular and temporary employees will have to register on the system and use it to record their attendance.
What Is AEBAS?
AEBAS is a technology-based attendance platform developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC). In Sikkim’s implementation, the system will be connected with employees’ Aadhaar/UID information.
Employees will be able to mark attendance using smartphones from designated locations close to their respective workplaces. This will allow departments to maintain electronic attendance records instead of relying solely on conventional attendance methods.
October 1 Rollout at State and District Headquarters
The first phase of the implementation is scheduled to begin on October 1, 2026 at State Headquarters and District Headquarters.
The government plans to subsequently expand the attendance monitoring system to other parts of Sikkim.
All regular as well as temporary government employees covered by the order will be required to register with AEBAS and record their attendance through the prescribed system.
Attendance Will Be Linked With PRANALI
One of the important features of the new arrangement is the integration of AEBAS attendance and leave information with the government’s PRANALI system.
At the end of each month, AEBAS will prepare an attendance report for individual employees. Department-appointed nodal officers will then examine leave and absence records to determine whether the absence was authorised.
After legitimate leave and official duties are taken into account, any remaining absence will be considered the employee’s net absence.
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What Happens If an Employee Does Not Mark Attendance?
The new system has a direct connection with leave and salary records.
For regular employees, an absence that remains unexplained or unauthorised after the verification process can be treated as Extraordinary Leave (EOL). The corresponding salary deduction can then be processed through PRANALI in the following month.
For temporary employees, failure to record attendance may be treated as Leave Without Pay (LWP), with the applicable salary or wage deduction following the prescribed process.
This means employees will need to ensure that their attendance is properly recorded and that any authorised absence is correctly reflected in the relevant records.
How Will Net Absence Be Processed?
The system will follow a defined monthly process.
After the attendance period ends, departments will verify employee records and authorised leave. The net absence information will subsequently be transferred to PRANALI through NIC’s Net Absence Consolidation APIs.
The relevant process has a cutoff date of the 7th of the following month. For employees with a non-zero net absence, Drawing and Disbursing Officers (DDOs) can generate and digitally sign the necessary orders for Extraordinary Leave or Leave Without Pay.
These orders will then be sent to the appropriate personnel sections so that the employee’s leave account and service records can be updated.
For Group A and Group B officers, the relevant orders will be forwarded to the Department of Personnel.
Sikkim Government Refers to Leave Rules
The implementation instructions also refer to Rule 20(2) of the Sikkim Government Service (Leave) Rules, 1982.
According to the reported details, the rule permits the competent authority to convert a period of absence without leave into Extraordinary Leave. The circular states that no additional procedure will be required where unauthorised absence has been recorded through AEBAS and is dealt with under the applicable provision.
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Departments to Appoint Nodal Officers
Sikkim’s departments have also been instructed to appoint officers responsible for operating and monitoring the new attendance system.
The nodal officers are required to be of at least the rank of Additional Secretary or equivalent. NIC will provide hands-on training to these officers so that departments can operate the AEBAS system effectively.
What Government Employees Should Know
Government employees covered by the new system should pay attention to the following points:
- AEBAS implementation is scheduled to begin on October 1, 2026.
- The initial rollout will cover State and District Headquarters.
- Regular and temporary employees will have to register on AEBAS.
- Attendance will be recorded electronically through the prescribed system.
- The system will use Aadhaar/UID-linked employee information.
- Attendance and leave information will be connected with PRANALI.
- Unrecorded unauthorised absence can affect an employee’s leave record and salary.
- Temporary employees may face Leave Without Pay treatment for failure to record attendance.
- Departmental nodal officers will verify leave and absence records.
- The system is expected to be expanded across Sikkim after the initial implementation.
Why the New Attendance System Matters
The introduction of AEBAS will move Sikkim’s government attendance process further toward digital record-keeping. Instead of maintaining attendance information primarily through conventional methods, departments will have electronically generated records that can be connected with leave and payroll-related processes.
The system also creates a structured process for reviewing absence, recording authorised leave and processing cases where attendance has not been properly recorded.
The initial implementation at State and District Headquarters from October 1 will therefore be an important first phase before the system is extended throughout Sikkim.
FAQs
When will Sikkim start Aadhaar-enabled biometric attendance?
The Sikkim government is scheduled to begin AEBAS-based attendance monitoring from October 1, 2026, initially at State and District Headquarters.
Who will have to use AEBAS?
The reported circular requires both regular and temporary government employees covered by the system to register and record attendance through AEBAS.
Is AEBAS linked with Aadhaar?
Yes. The system is linked with employees’ Aadhaar/UID information for the attendance process.
What happens if attendance is not recorded?
For regular employees, unauthorised absence remaining after verification can be treated as Extraordinary Leave, potentially resulting in salary deduction. For temporary employees, it can be treated as Leave Without Pay.
Who developed the AEBAS system?
The National Informatics Centre (NIC) developed the Aadhaar Enabled Biometric Attendance System.
Will the system cover the entire state?
The first phase is planned for State and District Headquarters. The government intends to expand the attendance monitoring system across Sikkim subsequently.
Will AEBAS attendance affect salary?
Attendance and leave records will be connected with PRANALI. Where an employee has verified net absence requiring EOL or LWP treatment, the applicable salary deduction process can follow through the system.
Sikkim is set to begin Aadhaar-enabled biometric attendance for government employees from October 1, 2026. The system will connect digital attendance with leave verification and the state’s PRANALI platform, while departments will be responsible for monitoring and validating employee absence.
Employees covered under the new arrangement should ensure that they complete the required AEBAS registration and follow their department’s instructions regarding attendance, leave and authorised absence.
Source note: The information in this article is based on the Sikkim government circular details reported on September 23, 2026, with reporting by The News Mill and ANI.