Bhind (Madhya Pradesh): The disconnect between digital governance and ground reality is stark: teachers in a remote village risk their lives on inner tubes to cross a rain-swollen stream to reach school on time, and mark their mandatory e-attendance in Madhya Pradesh's Bhind.
The incident took place in Gram Panchayat Babedi, Bhind -- the access route connecting Nadrauli and Sumer Singh Ka Pura gets completely cut off when monsoon rains fill the seasonal Khar.
With no culvert or safe passage available, teachers, students and villagers are left with the dangerous option of crossing the strong current on inner tubes.
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In the video, a teacher at Nadrauli Primary School balancing himself on an inner tube while crossing the flooded stream have brought the issue into focus.
The waterlogged route reportedly remains disrupted for nearly four months every monsoon, making commuting on foot or by bike virtually impossible.
The e-attendance system has added another layer to the hardship. Government school teachers are required to reach their institutions within a specified time and register attendance online.
In a recent case from Chhatarpur, teachers were reportedly forced to climb school rooftops to catch mobile network signals and mark their attendance through the 'Humare Shikshak' mobile application.
Despite the absence of a safe route and a lack of network in rural areas, teachers are making life risky to avoid being marked absent.
Villagers said the problem is repeated every year, yet their demand for a permanent culvert or safe access road has remained unanswered.
Residents questioned whether the realities of remote rural areas were considered before strict online attendance requirements were enforced.
They argued that digital systems cannot ensure smooth functioning when basic infrastructure is missing in rural areas.
