Guwahati: The Assam government‘s mobile application, ‘Shiksha Setu Axom,’ designed as a comprehensive digital platform for the School Education department, has been selected for the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration 2024 under the Innovation–State category.
However, this recognition has been met with skepticism, largely due to the app’s significantly low user ratings and widespread negative feedback.
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‘Shiksha Setu Axom’ aims to provide a 360-degree view of information concerning schools, staff, and students across Assam.
Despite its ambitious goals, the application currently holds a concerning 2.7-star overall rating based on over 5000 reviews, the majority of which are critical.
Many users have given the app the lowest possible one-star rating, highlighting a multitude of issues that severely impact its usability and effectiveness.
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Teachers and administrators, who are the primary users of the app, have voiced numerous frustrations.
One user in a review that 580 people found helpful, detailed several critical problems: “There are lots of issues we are facing every day. 1) It starts downloading every time we open the app and enter a particular class for scanning. This takes time and it is very annoying. 2) It cannot scan more than 5-6 faces at a time. We have to go from one student to another to scan individually. Imagine the time it takes to scan faces when the classroom is crowded with lots of students. 3) The app doesn’t work inside the classroom just because there is little less light. 4) …and many more.”
Another user echoed these sentiments in a highly rated review from September 2023: “An app full of bugs and faults. Couldn’t recognise some face even in proper light condition. Some student faces had to be enrolled more than one time. Group attendance option is not working properly. Every time one has to take individual attendance for the left out students. This is time consuming. Runs very slow. Tablets and phones heat up while using the app. Also, there are network issues at my location. I can’t understand the usefulness of this app.”
The issues extend beyond attendance taking. Another user, in a March 2024 review, described login problems and frequent malfunctions: “I was unable to synchronise my daily attendance data so I uninstalled the app, and then reinstalled it again; but now I am not able to log in on it. Most of the time it buffers, and at times it says ‘unauthorized access’. It is really a tiresome experience – handling this app! One of the worst on offer.”
Concerns about the app’s core functionality, such as facial recognition and location accuracy, are also prevalent.
One user labeled it the “worst app I have ever seen,” citing problems with verification, slow performance, and phone lagging. Several users, including Rupshan Ahmed, reported inaccuracies in geo-location, even when within school premises.
The timing of the award, given the persistent and widespread issues reported by users over an extended period, has understandably led to questions about the criteria for selection and the app’s actual impact on the ground.
While the intention behind ‘Shiksha Setu Axom’ to digitize and streamline school administration is commendable, the overwhelming negative feedback suggests significant shortcomings in its design, development, and implementation.
The numerous reviews paint a picture of an application that, despite its innovative concept, is currently causing more frustration than efficiency for its users.