How Does ICT Impact Everyday Life?

ICT often refers to the merging of media technology such as audio-visual and telephone networks with computer networks, through a unified cabling system or link system. However, a universally accepted definition of ICTs is elusive, given that the concepts, methods, and tools involved in ICTs are constantly evolving.

Here are some examples of how ICT is integrated into everyday life:

1. Social Media – A prime example of ICT in online communication
2. Online Shopping – Demonstrates the use of ICT in business
3. Digital Wallets – Showcase the use of ICT in banking
4. Online Government Services – An example of ICT in governance
5. Online Courses – Illustrate the use of ICT in learning

The Role of ICT in Education in India

Currently, the Central Government has integrated ICT in schools under the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan, a national mission for secondary education.

The following initiatives have been taken to incorporate ICT in education:

1. SWAYAM
   • This platform was developed by the Ministry of Education and NPTEL, IIT Madras in collaboration with Google Inc. and Persistent Systems Ltd.
   • The platform is grounded in the three cardinal principles of India's education policy: Access, Equity, and Quality.
   • It offers all courses from Class 9 to post-graduation online, free of charge for everyone.
   • The study material provided under this platform includes:
     • Video Lectures
     • Specially prepared reading material that can be downloaded or printed
     • Self-assessment tests through tests and quizzes
     • An online discussion forum for clearing doubts
   • Nine national coordinators ensure the quality of the content.
   • To receive a SWAYAM Certificate, students must pay a fee to register for the final proctored examinations, which take place at a designated venue.
2. i-Share for India
   • This initiative, started by the Ministry of Human Resources and Development (MHRD), invites interested groups, agencies, organizations, and communities to contribute to the creation of an educational resources pool for School and Teacher Education.
   • Contributions can be in the form of Mobile-enabled Apps or Web-based ICT supplementary resources in any Indian Language for school education or teacher education.
3. Shaala Siddhi
   • This is a national programme on school standards and evaluation.
   • It is an initiative of the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA).
   • It operates under the aegis of the MHRD.
   • It uses the School Evaluation Dashboard called ‘e-Samiksha’ to evaluate school performance.
4. Shaala Darpan
   • It is used to monitor primary and middle schools.
5. Saransh Portal
   • This web portal was launched in 2015 by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).
   • The primary aim of Saransh is to promote ICT in education in schools.
   • It is a self-review tool for schools and parents.
   • It aligns with the Digital India initiative.
   • It provides access to all e-books for all classes.
6. e-Pathshala
   • This initiative, developed by NCERT and the Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET), provides educational resources online to students, teachers, educators, and parents.
   • It is available as an app on the Google Play app store and Windows.
   • Among other educational resources, it provides:
     • CERT textbooks for classes 1-12
     • Audio-visual resources by NCERT
     • Periodicals
     • Supplements
     • Teacher training modules
     • A variety of other print and non-print materials
7. Digital Gender Atlas
   • This tool was developed to identify low-performing geographic pockets for girls, particularly from marginalized groups such as scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and Muslim minorities, on specific gender-related education indicators.
8. School GIS
   • This portal, launched in 2016, enables the locating of the geographic coordinates of schools in the country.
   • A map presents information about the school by its village, district, taluka, and grading.

Related Topics:

Before we delve deeper into the role of ICT in e-governance and its limitations, it's important to familiarize oneself with IT-related topics. Candidates can learn about Computer Knowledge from the link provided.

The Role of ICT in e-governance

Information and Communications Technology plays a pivotal role in e-governance. It has the potential to significantly impact the lives of the general public if implemented correctly. This section will focus on the limitations and the benefits of ICT in Governance.

An Overview of ICT in Governance

Information and Communications Technologies are integral to e-governance. They allow for the careful analysis of data, which can then inform political and socio-economic decisions made by the government. Successful implementation of ICT could provide a comprehensive solution to many of India's governance challenges.

In India, e-Governance applications have demonstrated their positive impact in recent years. They have reduced processing costs, increased transparency, and supported economic development through income-generating ventures. They have also led to an increase in agricultural production and improvements in the health and education sectors, thereby enhancing the overall quality of life of the Indian people.

To know more about the significance of e-governance , visit the linked article.

The Limitations and Benefits of ICT in Governance

Limitations

The following are some of the limitations of ICT in Governance:

• The shift towards a more transparent bureaucratic culture can meet resistance, as those in power may resist efforts to make information publicly accessible through the internet.
• Moreover, openness and transparency in administration might be feared by those sections of employees who do not want to be exposed for their inefficiency.
• A lack of funds is another constraint, as is the case with most of the public bodies in India. This is why such projects should be undertaken as public-private initiatives, encouraging entrepreneurs to invest in them.
• Stand-alone computers serve no purpose and are an injustice to their inherent capacity. The key to administrative reforms is computers communicating subconsciously without human intervention. It is also important that once the databases are set up, any further transaction should be compulsorily routed through the database so that the database is routinely and subconsciously updated and remains relevant and dynamic at all times.

Benefits

The following are some of the benefits of ICT in Governance:

• Greater transparency, as it allows the public to be informed about government decisions and policies.
• Improved efficiency, as it saves both money and time. Better facilitation of communications between governments and businesses is also possible.
• As society moves towards mobile connections, the ability of an e-government service to be accessible to citizens irrespective of location throughout the country is a significant benefit. We now live in what is termed as the Knowledge era.

Conclusion

The major issue with most government databases is that they are driven by individuals rather than systems, and hence, most of them are never updated once the individual leaves. It is therefore essential that this process is ingrained into the departmental bloodstream and the transactions are invariably done through the database and updated without any conscious effort. Also, common databases for multiple departments need serious attention and promotion. There should be centralized maintenance of databases at various strategic levels. Last but not least, a strong political and administrative will is required to achieve this in a relatively short period of time.

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