Varanasi: In a move aimed at enhancing student convenience and modernising campus services, Banaras Hindu University (BHU) has rolled out RFID-enabled smart identity cards under a pilot project at the Sayaji Rao Gaekwad Central Library.The new cards are set to revolutionise library services by enabling faster book issuance and returns, simplifying book tracking within library sections, and digitising entry and attendance records. “This is likely the first time in India that such advanced RFID technology is being deployed in a university library of this scale,” said Dr D.K. Singh, Librarian at BHU. The central library currently holds over 1.6 million books, thousands of periodicals, 13,795 journals, and 12,556 rare manuscripts, catering to nearly 36,000 users. Singh noted that the RFID system would eventually be extended to faculty, college, and departmental libraries across the campus, improving overall resource management and monitoring. Prof. Anupam Kumar Nema, Dean of Students, described the RFID card as a “step towards integrated university services.” He added that the cards, which are already being distributed, could in the future also be used to record attendance and maintain a health diary at the university’s health centre. RFID initiative is part of BHU’s broader vision of “One Card, One University,” which aims to integrate student access to multiple campus services—ranging from the health centre and swimming pool to the sports complex—through a single smart identity card, replacing the traditional plastic ID.
