Pathak said the responsibility of maintaining attendance would be on teachers and they could face action if the percentage dipped below 75 percent.

Last month the government had offered Rs. 1 per day to poor children to encourage them to attend school and raise literacy levels, officials said.

Bihar's literacy rate is currently just 47 percent against the national average of 64.84 percent, as per the 2001 census.

Officials admitted that attendance in schools was less than 60 percent.