Bhubaneswar, Aug. 26: Utkal University is likely to sign an MoU with the Odisha Knowledge Corporation Limited for digitalisation of its administrative and academic activities.
“Basic formalities like discussion in the university syndicate have been completed. The agreement is scheduled to be signed by the end of September. Digitalisation of universities aims to increase student enrolment and reduce the load on campus administration,” said an official of the higher education department.
Subsequently, all the other six state-run universities — Ravenshaw in Cuttack, Berhampur University, North Odisha University in Baripada, Sri Jagannath Sanskrit Viswavidyalaya in Puri, Fakir Mohan University in Balasore and Sambalpur University — will be digitalised. A meeting of officials of the department, Odisha Knowledge Corporation Limited (OKCL) and vice-chancellors of all the six universities was held earlier last month where a decision on signing of MoUs was taken.
“The digitalisation will offer universities advanced technology to manage the ever-increasing number of students and constituent colleges. Besides helping students with a one-step solution, it will also empower the officials in delivering quicker and hassle-free solutions,” said OKCL managing director Santosh Birari. Under this initiative, students of the varsities will get a personalised log-in ID during their admission, which can be used by to get information about exam schedules, competitions, job alerts, scholarship information, timetables, examination forms and hall tickets online.
The OKCL has also planned a training programme for the existing staff of the varsities to man the system effectively.
As a pilot initiative, the digitalisation will be done free of cost at Utkal University for the first year and will be available at an affordable price to students in the subsequent years, said officials.
If implemented, the digitalisation will help manage the online application processes, academic programmes, course definition, choice-based credit system, exam management, RTI compliance, accreditation and affiliation management, said varsity authorities.
Universities in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh have already been digitalised, officials said.
