LP teacher hangs himself for not being able to use RIIMS app; govt to verify the incident

Dec. 22: In an unfortunate incident, a headteacher of Lakhimipathar Primary School at Demow in Sivasagar district of Assam allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in one of the classroom for being unable to use a government-prescribed mobile application. The deceased teacher identified as Kali Prasad Chetia was reportedly not being able to handle the RIIMS app prescribed by the state’s education department. This made him so tensed and frustrated that he decided to end his life.

Reacting to the incident, State Education Minister, Dr Ranoj Pegu stated that such incident should not take place for a mobile app. He said that the app is being used smoothly by all the teachers. The minister further stated that the government will verify the incident.

The state government had issued an order earlier making it mandatory for teaching staff to install and use the RIIMS App. The artificial intelligence (AI) based application helps to monitor the attendance of teachers along with maintaining student’s and teacher’s databases. The SDMIS (Students’ Database Management Information System) and TDMIS (Teachers’ Database Management Information System), as well as AI (artificial intelligence)-based attendance tracking, would all be feasible with this application.

Earlier, several teachers’ organizations had opposed the move saying that their privacy would be jeopardized. Even the Sadou Asam Sanmilita Siksha Mancha, an umbrella group of ten teachers’ organisations, has expressed strong opposition to the State Government’s recent directive ordering all teachers to install the RIIMS mobile app as soon as possible or face having their salaries withheld.