Chapter 25: Computer and Information Technology

Introduction

Computer has penetrated all strata of the modern society. In fact, among all technologies which have emerged in the 20^th century, none has such a profound impact as the computer. It is now the single most important tool in the hands of engineers, researchers, managers, administrators, politicians, and many others. Computer, in turn, has given birth to a new industry broadly labelled as Information Technology, more well known by its abbreviated form IT. The impact of IT business, industry, financial institutions and governments has been pervasive leading to structural changes in their working systems. In the sphere of public administration, e-governance is the “in-thing”. The technology is also enabling academics, researchers, librarians and information scientists and other “knowledge” workers to significantly change the way they communicate, collaborate, identify sources of information and disseminate new information and knowledge. It is, therefore, said that we have entered the “information age” and we are now living in an “information society”. For the first time in the history of Nobel Prize, the award for Physics for the year 2000 went to Zhores I Alferov (Russia) and Herbert Kroemer (USA) for their work which has laid the foundation of modern information technology (IT) particularly through their invention of rapid transistors, laser diodes, and integrated circuits.

Broadly, the term IT, as is understood now, refers to the computer and communication technology used to acquire, store, organise, manipulate, transport and exchange information. The definition includes computer hardware and software, as well as the telecommunication devices and computer-based networks that connect them. At the heart of the technology is the process of “digitisation” the translation of all data – numerals, words, symbols, images and even sounds into numbers in the digital computers. Four spectacular innovations facilitated the wider application of computers to any activity that has to do with information handling:

(a)  series of breakthroughs in transistors, integrated circuits and Very-Large-Scale-Integration (VLSI):

(b)  the astonishing reduction in the size and prices of computers, prodigious increases in their processing power, and their consequent application anywhere and everywhere;

(c)  introduction of storage devices capable of storing incredibly large amounts of information; and

(d)  satellite communication system and the dramatic improvement in telecommunication technology with the spread of Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN).

In just two decades, main frame computers have been replaced by mini computers, which in turn have given way successfully to personal computers (PCs), laptop computers and “pocket” computers. There has also been revolutionary developments in storage devices. Punch cards were overtaken by magnetic tapes which too were made obsolete by floppy disks, or simply floppies. Then there are the hard disks which are now giving way to optical storage devices like CD-ROM. Satellite communication and ISDN had broken the barriers between nations making trans border flow and exchange of information via Internet much easier. Internet, in turn, has made it possible to introduce the revolutionary business transaction system called “electronic commerce” or “e-commerce.

Computer and information technology continues to undergo rapid change and improvement in performance and cost reduction. The growth in power and performance of computer hardware has made possible and feasible more complex and capable software. The new developments include artificial intelligence, expert systems, executive information systems and decision support systems. Future applications are likely to include sophisticated voice and handwriting recognition and processing which already exists albeit in a primitive form. As a result, IT has become the new mantra for all the governments.

The Government of India has constituted a new Ministry of Information Technology and has enacted an Information Technology Law to facilitate e-Commerce. The State Governments are also enunciating their IT policies. Many States are now vying with each other to develop their own brands of Silicon Valleys as hubs of IT activities. Andhra Pradesh has been the pioneer in this matter, as “Cyberabad” has found its place in the world IT map.

All these developments had a tremendous impact on computer education and training at all levels. In early 1980s, everywhere around the world people were talking about a fourth “R” in primary education. Viz., “computer literacy” in addition to the conventional three Rs - “Reading”, “wRiting” and “aRithmatic”. There is now a company in the US named The Fourth R Inc. devoted to spreading computer literacy among the children.

Computer and IT education and training has grown into a big industry. With such periodical forecasts as “wanted 1,40,000 IT personnel between 2000 – 2001, hitting headlines of newspapers, the scramble for the share of the training market by many small, medium, and large players has intensified. This is evidenced in the plethora of flashy advertisements of IT courses in newspapers and newsmagazines. Walking down even the lanes and by-lanes in any city, one cannot miss posters and banners announcing yet another “innovative” computer and IT course. The course range from computer literacy to the most sophisticated computer languages and to new hot cakes, such as “e-commerce”, and “dotcom”. The duration of courses range from 3 days to 3 years.

Educational Opportunities

Education in computer science and technology owes its existence primarily to the Report of the Electronics Committee (1966) more well- known as the Bhaba Committee Report. Several other reports of committees headed by distinguished scientists of yesteryears shaped the initial developments of computer education. Viz., Report of the Panel on Computer Manpower Development, 1980 (Chairman: V.Rajaraman), the Report of the Working Group on Evolving Strategy for Teacher’s Training for Implementing Computer Education Programme, 1985 (Chairman: Prof S Sampath). The last named report led to the formulation and introduction of the four DOEAC programmes (discussed in a subsequent section).

The Electronics Commission, at the initial stage, was the prime mover of computer education. The Computer Society of India (CSI), the professional organisation of computer scientists, and the Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers (IETE) were also closely associated with the development of educational opportunities. Now both the Department of Secondary Education and Higher Education, and the Ministry of Information Technology are concerned with the promotion of computer education and training.

Computer education began with about five types of courses, viz., BE/BTech (Computer Science and Engineering), ME/MTech(Computer Science), Master of Computer Applications (MCA), Post-BSc Diploma in Computer Applications (PGDCA), and Diploma in Computer Science and Engineering in polytechnics. The first BTech course in Computer Science and Engineering was introduced in the Motilal Nehru Regional Engineering College (Allahabad) in 1977. It was the Rajaraman Committee Report which led to the introduction of the MCA course of three-year duration. The University of Delhi was the first to introduce the course in 1981. After two decades or so, there are perplexing varieties of courses and programmes offered by an ever-increasing number of educational and training institutions.

Types of Courses

It is rather a difficult task to classify meaningfully the plethora of computer and IT courses having varieties of award nomenclatures and labels that are now offered by the training schools. In April or May every year nearly 30-40% of the advertisements in national newspapers consists of IT training courses, each school trying to capitalize on the current hype and jargon of the IT industry. Course contents often overlap although nomenclature of awards and labels differ. A new language or a new programme package and even new versions of earlier one would trigger off new courses.

In the name of specialisation, there has been too much of fragmentation of the subject. Compared to the courses offered by the university system, the number and variety of those dished out by private institutions in the informal sector is mind boggling. However, the university system also seems to be catching up with the proliferation syndrome. The courses in the university system may be broadly grouped into seven major categories:

a)  basic courses inducting students into the world of computer and IT, e.g., BSc (Computer Science), Bachelor of Computer Science (BCS),

b)  engineering and technology courses offered by engineering colleges, e.g., Diploma in Computer Science and Engineering/Technology; BE/BTech and ME/MTech in Computer Science and Engineering/ Technology;

c)  software courses e.g., BSc/MSc, MS/MTech (Software/Software Engineering);

d)  application courses, e.g, Bachelor of Computer Applications(BCA), Diploma in Computer Applications (DCA), Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Applications (PGDCA), Master of Computer Applications (MCA), MSc(Computer Applications);

e)  information technology courses, e.g, BE/BTech (Information Technology), Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT), Master of Information Technology (MIT), PG Diploma in IT (PGDIT);

f)  management related courses integrating management concepts with IT; e.g, Master of Computer Management (MCM), Postgraduate Diploma in IT and Management (PGDITM)

g)  Internet courses, and

h)  e-Commerce.

Annexure 1 gives a list of some of the new types of courses offered by universities. Internet related courses and e-Commerce have been discussed in Chapter 52 (Mixed Bag).

As regards the courses marketed by the private institutions, the classification system used by the Dataquest, the well-known computer magazine to group them is quite useful in getting a broad overview of their programmes. The groupings are: Computer Literacy, Design &Graphics, Developer Tools, e-Commerce, ERP, Java, Linux, Networking, OS/Network OS, Productivity Applications, RDBMS, Systems, Web and Internet, and Others. (See Annexure 13).

Educational & Training Institutions

The educational and training institutions in the field of computer science and technology may be grouped into formal and informal sectors.

Formal Sector: The formal sector comprises schools, vocational institutions and polytechnics, and institutions within the university system. Viz, University Departments of Computer Science, and colleges affiliated to universities. It also covers institutions outside the university system, viz, training institutions recognized by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), including the newly established Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIITs) in several states, and the DOEACC accredited training institutes. All these institutions belong to the formal sector in the sense that they come under the regulatory authority of the AICTE. They offer programmes at various hierarchical levels – certificate, diploma, post-diploma, graduation, post-graduation – and finally, at the doctoral level (offered by universities and institutions affiliated to them.) Some sort of equivalence has been established between the courses offered by university system and those by the non-university system. For example, the DOEACC accredited “B” Level award is treated as equivalent to Master of Computer Applications (MCA) degree. The schematic diagram “Pathway to Computer Course Options” given in Annexure 2 provides an overview of the courses available in the formal sector.

Informal Sector: The informal sector consists of a large number of private enterprises spread across the country, often referred to as training “vendors”, which offer a perplexing variety of courses. They also include several public sector organisations in the field of computer, such as, CMC Ltd, ECIL, and ET & T. However, the actual populations of such institutions are not available. It is estimated that number has now touched a whopping figure of 7,000. This includes small and big players as well as franchises and branches of major vendors.

Formal Sector

In this section, a brief account of courses offered by institutions belonging to the formal sector is given.

Vocational Institutions

At the vocational education level, the National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT), a non statutory advisory body of the Ministry of Labour, had introduced computer programmes in National Vocational Training Institute for Women (NVYT), Regional Vocational Training Institutes for Women (RVTIs) and the Model Training Institutes (MTIs) attached to Advanced Training Institutes (ATIs). These institutes are under the administrative control of the Directorate General of Employment and Training in the Ministry of Labour. The courses (Computer Operator and Programming Assistants course and Data Preparation and Computer Software course) are of one year duration (See Chapter 51 –m Vocational Education). Candidates who have passed the 10+2 examination or hold polytechnic diplomas in engineering are eligible to take the courses.

Polytechnics

A large number of Polytechnics offer three-years diploma courses in Computer Engineering. Like any other polytechnic diploma courses. It is open to students who have passed the class 10 examination. A small number of Polytechnics have also introduced post-diploma course in the subject.

Schools

The concept of computer literacy is gaining acceptance in the school system. It is gradually becoming a significant part of the school education despite the failure of the pilot project known as CLASS (Computer Aided Literacy and Studies in Schools) sponsored by the Central Government in the late 1980s. Computer Science and Engineering as a subject of study is now available at the 10+2 level often as one of the vocational subjects. The Tamil Nadu Government had gone in a big way to introduce computer science education in classes 11 and 12 in all the 1200 government schools in the State. The Delhi Government is also taking steps to introduce it in more than 100 schools.

University System

In the university system computer education is provided by the following categories of colleges and institutions;

(a)  Colleges Affiliated to Universities: To begin with, computer science was being offered by affiliated colleges (other than engineering colleges) as one of the combinations in BSc courses usually along with physics, mathematics or statistics and also as a vocational subject. Several universities, thereafter introduced courses like BSc (Computer Science), BSc (Hons) Computer Science, BCom (Computer Science); BSc (Computer Applications). During the last several years a number of universities started offering three-year degree courses leading to awards having such nomenclatures as Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT), Bachelor of Computer Science (BCS), Bachelor of Sanskrit and Computer Science (BSSC) (offered by Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Viswa Mahavidyalaya, Kanchipuram 631561), Bachelor of Development and Information Technology (B.DITT), BSc (Applied Science) – Computer Technology BSc (Applied Science) – Information Technology, Some universities permitted their affiliated colleges to introduce specialised course, such as, Bachelor of E-Commerce (B-E Com, B.E-Com), BSc (Software Engineering).

During the last five years or so there has been a considerable proliferation of Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) course. Like any other first degree courses it is of three –year duration. Eligibility requirement is a pass in 10+2 examination preferably with mathematics. Not only a large number of colleges affiliated to more than 35 universities now offer the BCA course, the schools of distance education attached to universities have also started offering it in a big way. (See Distance Learning Programme below). Makhanlal Chaturvedi Patrakarita Vishwavidyalaya (Bhopal 462016), which was established to promote education in Hindi journalism, has franchised its BCA, PGDCA, and DCA courses to more than 270 institutions all over India. They are treated as “institutions associated” with the university. (See Chapter 6 Learning From a Distance). Such unbridled proliferation of the BCA course has resulted in the considerable deterioration of the quality of education, because many colleges and institutions sadly lack qualified teachers and essential infrastructure.

It also deserves mention that BCA course was introduced by many universities in great haste without taking into consideration the options for pursuing postgraduate studies. At present, the BCA degree holders can opt only for MCA and MSc (Computer Science) courses. They are ineligible for any other science or even social sciences courses. Several universities are now trying to create a space for them. For example, Andhra Pradesh has plans for introducing two postgraduate diploma programmes (two years and one year) to accommodate them. Besides BCA, many universities have permitted their affiliated colleges to offer the Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Applications (PGDCA) of one-year duration and Master of Computer Applications (MCA).

(b)  University Departments: The university departments of computer science and the science faculties mostly offer postgraduate courses, viz, MSc (Computer Science) with varieties of labels, Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Applications (PGDCA), Master of Computer Applications (MCA). The MSc (Computer Science) of two yewar duration is open to candidates who have passed BSc with computer science either as one of the combinations or holders of BSc (Computer Science) and BSc (Hons) Computer Science degrees. About 35 universities now offer the MSc course (See Annexure 4). It has been followed by the introduction of MSc (Software) course, first in the university departments and thereafter in affiliated colleges. Several universities have also introduced integrated programmes of five-year duration in the subject.

The eligibility requirement is a pass in 10+2 examination with physics and mathematics. The affiliated colleges have also been permitted to offer it. At the MSc level several other programmes, such as, MSc (Computer Applications) MSc (Mathematics and Computer Applications), MSc (Mathematics and Computer Science), MSc (Information Technology) are also available. Other postgraduate degrees include Master Computer Management (MCM), and Master of Information Technology (MIT). In the application area, the computer science departments first introduced the Postgraduate Diploma in Computer Application (PGDCA) course of one year duration. It is now offered by more than 70 universities. As stated earlier, some of them have also permitted their affiliated colleges to introduce it. The eligibility requirement is a degree preferably with physics and mathematics. The MCA course of three-year duration was then introduced in selected university departments with the financial support of the Department of Electronics (DOE), and the UGC.

Now the course is offered not only by nearly 110 university departments but also by a large number of affiliated colleges. The total number institutions offering the MCA course now exceeds 320. Several university departments of computer science, of late have started introducing four-year degree courses in computers. Some examples, are (i) University of Delhi – Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT) and Bachelor of Information Sciences (BIS) (upgraded BCA Programme), (ii) Dr BR Ambedkar University (Agra) – BIS, Bachelor of Software Systems (BSS). These courses are also offered by several of their affiliated colleges. However, such four-year degree courses are mired with controversy. The AICTE has reportedly insisted that as the courses of four-year duration are on par with any engineering degree course, their introduction needs its prior approval. The University of Delhi has now decided to revert back to the three-year BCA programme.

(c)  Engineering Colleges and Technical Institutions: Computer Science and Engineering/Technology as one of the branches in engineering and technology leading to the award of BE/BTech degree was first introduced in 1977. Later, another course, viz., Information Technology was introduced. Like all other branches, both are of four-year duration and open to candidates who have passed the 10+2 examination with physics and mathematics. The latest information about the number of university departments, and colleges and institutions offering these two courses is not readily available.

According to the Handbook on Engineering Education published by the Association of Indian Universities in March 1999, while 228 institutions offer BE/BTech course in Computer Science and Engineering/Technology, the number of institutions offering Information Technology is 28. The number has increased further since the publication of the Handbook. Engineering colleges and IITs also offer Master’s degree programmes in computer science and engineering and also in some specialized branches of leading to the award of ME/MTech degrees. In some universities, besides BE/BTech degree holders, MSc degree holders in Electronics and Mathematics are also admitted. The courses are of one and a half-year duration. Many engineering colleges have also introduced the MCA courses.

University - IT Training Industry Tie-ups

A number of universities are now entering into tie-up arrangements with some leaders of the IT training industry to offer high-end training courses in IT. The programmes include full-time courses at diploma, first degree, and master’s degree levels. Annexure 5 gives a list of such alliances. Several universities are also seeking collaborations with well known American universities to launch specialised courses. A case in point is the tie-up with Carnegie-Mellon University (Pittsburgh) jointly by three universities in Andhra Pradesh – the Andhra University, the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, and the Osmania University – to introduce a Master’s degree programme in information technology (MS-Info Technology).

Admission Procedures: Admission procedures for the courses offered by the university system vary depending upon the institutions and the levels of education. As has been stated in Chapter 30 (Engineering and Technology), admissions to BE/Btech courses are made on the basis of State-wise common entrance tests conducted by State governments. Some universities and institutions which admit students on all-India basis conduct their own entrance tests (See Annexure 11 and 12 of Chapter 30 – Engineering and Technology). For MCA course, similar State-wise common entrance tests are conducted by State governments (e.g., MCACET in Andhra Pradesh), although many universities have their own tests.

Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIIT)

Although training programmes with label “Information Technology” have been introduced in affiliated colleges, university departments and engineering colleges, separate institutions are now being established to offer courses with this label, Indian Institutes of Information technology (IIITs) in the pattern of IITs have been established in several States as centres of excellence. Though the idea was mooted about 15 years ago., it came to fruition only in 1998. As of now, there are eight IITs, one each in Allahabad (UP), Bangalore (Karnataka), Calcutta (West Bengal), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh), Hyderabad (Andhra Pradesh), Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) and Pondicherry. However, the name of the Chennai-based Institute is Tamil Nadu Institute of Information Technology (TANITEC).

Many other states are also planning to establish similar Institutes. While the IIT (Allahabad) and IIIT (Gwalior) have been set up by the Ministry Resource Development, the other five have been sponsored by the respective State Governments with the active participation of the IT industry. The Hyderabad Institute has the unique distinction of having corporate schools on the campus established by several major national and international IT companies, such as IBM, Metamor, Motorola, Oracle and Satyam. They are actively involved in its academic programmes. IIIT, Allahabad, has been accorded deemed university status. The Calcutta, Gwalior, and Hyderabad., Institutes are likely to get similarly recognition. The admission to all the courses are made on the basis of all India entrance tests. The Educational Consultant India Ltd (EdCIL) (EdCIL House, 18-A Sector-16A, NOIDA-201301) conducts the tests for Allahabad, Calcutta, Gwalior and Hyderabad Institutes. The syllabuses for entrance examinations among others cover Mathematics and Physics.

A brief account of the programmes offered by the IIITs is given in Annexure 6. (See also Update)

DOEACC Programmes

The early 1990s saw the mushrooming of private computer training institutes all over the country. Many of them were of doubtful credibility and offered programmes of sub-standard quality. As stated earlier, it was on the basis of the recommendations of the National Working Group (1989) set up by the All-India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) under chairmanship of Prof S. Sampath that the Department of Electronics (DOE), introduced in 1991, the scheme of accreditation of private computer institutes. Under this scheme, computer training institutes meeting well-defined norms and criteria, are given accreditation for conducting courses. AICTE has delegated the responsibility of implementation of the scheme to DOE. The scheme was named the Department of Electronics Accreditation of Computer Courses (DOEACC). It is now operated by the DOEACC Society (Electronics Niketan, 2^nd Floor, 6 CGO Complex, New Delhi-110003), an autonomous body of the Ministry of Information technology.

Computer institutes are first given provisional accreditation after assessing their infrastructural facilities and if they maintain the specified standards., they are given full accreditation. The performance of all the institutes is continuously monitored to ensure that they offer students an opportunity to acquire those qualifying from leading engineering colleges. The accreditation is reviewed periodically and in case an institute is unable to maintain the minimum standard, the accreditation is withdrawn. Many accredited institutes also offer their own courses and some tend to pay more attention to them at the cost of DOEACC programmes. At present, more than 600 institutes across the country have received accreditation. The latest list of accredited institutes can be obtained from the DOEACC Society.

The Society had designed standard syllabuses for four levels of study and examination., viz., “O” Level (Foundation), “A” Level (Advanced Diploma), “B”Level (MCA equivalent), and “C” Level (MTech equivalent). They are frequently updated to accommodate new developments. It accredits particular levels of courses and not the institute as a whole. Examinations are conducted by the society for all the levels twice a year (January and July). Registration, which is open throughout the year is a pre-requisite for appearing in the examination. However, cut-off dates have been prescribed for different levels, viz., “O” Level: January examinations – preceding June 30, and July examinations – preceding December 31; Other Levels: January examinations –preceding July 31, July examinations preceding January 31. Registration forms may be obtained free of cost from the DOEACC, in person or by post. The registration fees are: “O” Level, Rs 50.00, “A”Level Rs 75.00, “B” Level Rs 100.00 and “C” Level Rs 150.

Application forms for examination at any level can be obtained on request in writing by candidates registered for the concerned level with DOEACC, by sending Rs.25.00per application form through DD in favour of “DOEACC” payable at New Delhi. Registration is valid for a period of five years for “O” and “A” levels and six years for “B” and “C” levels. Students have the option either to study in an accredited institute or appear directly in the examination provided they fulfil certain specified conditions.

Eligibility requirements for appearing in the examination and the career prospects after clearing each level of examination have been summarized in Annexure 7. Annexure 8 gives a summary of the course contents. The diagram at Annexure 9 indicates the equivalence levels of DOEACC and other courses. DOEACC qualifications are accepted for appointments at different professional levels in governments, public sector undertakings and private industries. The “B” level qualification has been recognized by the Ministry of Human Resource Development as equivalent to MCA degree (Gazette of India part I, Section I, November 11, 2000. p.1033). Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (Delhi-110006) awards MCA degree to candidates who have acquired “B” level qualifications provided they successfully clear a comprehensive three-hour test based on the “B” level syllabus.

Distance Learning Programmes

At present, the schools or institutions of distance education attached to more than 20 universities, including the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and the Madhya Pradesh Bhoj (Open) University offer courses mostly in computer applications (DCA, PGDCA, BCA and MCA) through distance learning mode. The University of Madras, in addition to its regular BCA course through distance learning, also offers it under the open system for which no formal qualification is necessary. Guru Ghasidas University has indiscriminately franchised its BCA course throughout the country instead of setting up its own study centres for providing guidance and counselling services. Other courses offered through distance learning mode include BSc (Computer Science), MSc (Software), MSc (IT), Bachelor degree and PG Diploma in e-Commerce, Medical transcription.

The Annamalai University in collaboration with Aptech Computer Education, offers a programme of three-year duration leading to the award of B.DIT (Bachelor of Development and Information Technology) – a very unusual nomenclature indeed: The BCA and MCA courses of the MP Bhoj (Open)University are modular in nature. The BCA programme consists of a two-year course in Advanced Diploma in Computer Application (ADCA) followed by one more year of study leading to the award of the BCA degree. The MCA programme has three components, viz., PGDCA (one year), Advance PGDCA (one year), and further study of one more year leading to the award of MCA degree. Annexure 10 gives a list of universities offering distance learning programmes.

IGNOU Programmes

The programme package of the School of Computer and Information Science (SOCIS) of IGNOU deserves special mention because of its rich course contents, unique delivery mode and the multiply entry points to its MCA course. The package consists of two groups of programmes. One group delivered in the Virtual Campus Mode consists of two courses, viz., Bachelor of Information Technology (BIT) of nine-trimester duration, and Advance Diploma in Information Technology (ADIT) of three-trimester duration. On successful completion if these two courses, students can enter the second year of the three year MCA course.

The other group of courses comprises, Certificate in Computing (CIC), Bachelor of Computer Application (BCA), Master of Computer Application (MCA). Though the admission criteria for this package is quite flexible, candidates who have not studied mathematics as a distinct subject at the 10+2 level are likely to face difficulty while pursuing CIC, BCA and MCA programmes. Such students are required to complete the Preparatory Programme in Computing (PPC). The course covers basic concepts of mathematics, elementary algebra, geometry and trigonometry, equations and matrices, and calculus and statistics. Annexure 11 gives a broad overview of the IGNOUs computer programmes, while Annexure 12 gives a schematic representation of the programmes.

Alternative Routes

In Chapter 31 (Engineering and Technology – Alternative Routes), an account has been given about the courses offered by a number of professional bodies in different branches of engineering and technology. The courses can be pursued mostly through self-study at one’s own pace and time. These institutions provide alternative routes for acquiring qualifications which are equivalent to university degrees in engineering and technology. In the area of computer science and engineering, the Institution of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers (IETE) conducts two examinations leading to the awards of Dip ITE (diploma level qualification) and Associate membership of IETE (degree level qualification). (See Annexure 2 of Chapter 31).

It has been mentioned in the Introduction that the IETE has been closely associated with the promotion of computer education in the country. Besides these two programmes, it also conducts a postgraduate course, viz., Advanced level course for DOEACC “B” level course. Students who have passed the Section A examination of the Institution of Engineers (India) and intend to appear at the Section B examination opt for Computer Engineering as a subject of specialisation.

Competence Examinations

The Computer Society of India (CSI) (Directorate of Education, CIT Campus, Taramani, Chennai-600013), the professional body of the computer scientists, conducts National Standard Examinations twice a year (January and June) at several centres. The examination is approved under the Continuing Education programme of the AICTE (CEP-AICTE), The examination are held on two days covering 16 topics, four in each session. Student Membership of CSI, which is not normally open to students qualifying from non-formal educational institutions, can now qualify for CSI student membership, if they pass any one of these 16 topics.

The National Centre for Software Technology (NCST), a scientific R & D institution sponsored by the Ministry of Information Technology (Gulmohar Cross Road No.9 Juhu Mumbai-400049) conducts an annual nation-wide Competence in Software Technology (CST) examination at four levels.: E-Level, I-Level, D-Level and G-Level. Eligibility requirement is a degree in any subject. Software competence ranges from “no training “(E-Level) to a degree in Computer Science or Information Technology (G-Level). Those looking for employment opportunities in NCST in R & D should take the G-Level examination. Candidates seeking admission to NCST’s Postgraduate Diploma programmes in Software Technology (full-time or part time), and Internet Technology, should also take the appropriate level of CST examination.

Several other institutions use the results of the CST examinations for admitting students to their courses, viz., (i) Indian Institute of Technology (Mumbai) – D-Level examination in lieu of valid computer science GATE score for admission to postgraduate course in IT; (ii) Goa University and Veeermata Jijabai Technological Institute (Mumbai) – E-level Examination for admission to MCA courses and (iii) SNDT Women’s University (Mumbai) – I-Level examination for admission to PGDCA course.

Informal Sector

Introduction

The IT training industry is growing at a very fast pace, the growth rate being around 40% in 1998-99 and about 55% in 1999-2000. It is the informal sector that has substantially contributed to this growth. Most of the big names like NIIT, Aptech, STG, SSI, and El Net-3L have opened centres in many semi-urban areas. Many new training entrepreneurs like Wintech, Zap have also entered in the field. The growth in the training industry during the past one year was primarily driven by an increased awareness, demand and opportunities created by Internet, e-Commerce, “dotcom” and the like as would be evident from the aggressive marketing strategy by many institutions.

The sudden explosion of training programmes in these areas has. however, created considerable confusion in the minds of students and their parents alike. The jargon filled full-page flashy advertisements in newspapers promise the moon with such proclamations as “Be part of the dotcom revolution, or miss out everything in like”. “Join us and we will make you the undisputed master of the Web”, “It’s time to hit the cyber world… join us, we will place you there”, “We award you a real-life project contract. We pay you a Rs 40,000 cheque. But first we teach you how to earn”.

The market situation at present is somewhat fluid. It is not yet very clear what types of courses would meet the requirements of the fast changing job-market., as many industrial and business organisations themselves are groping in darkness about the implications of going the e-Commerce way. It is also too early to make any prediction about the employment opportunities in these areas. The chances of survival of many of the dotcom companies are also being questioned by many. What attracts the students is the lure of big money the advertisements promise. Many of them do not have any idea about the right types of courses that would suit them and augment their careers. Hardly, any counseling facilities are available to guide them.

Training Institutes

It hardly needs any emphasis that the informal sector of the IT training industry plays a very significant role in preparing qualified manpower for the fast expanding IT market. It is not possible for the formal sector alone to meet market demands. As has been described in an earlier section, the Department of Electronics (DOE) had introduced an accreditation system (DOEACC) to tap the resources of private institutes to augment training facilities. There are a number of leading players whose credibility is well-established. They have introduced many market-oriented innovative programmes which have benefited both career seekers and the industry. They are the first to catch up with the latest and emerging technologies and start offering programmes in these areas.

Many of them are also the authorised training centres (ATCs) of software giants such as Microsoft, Oracle Corp, Autodesk, and Novell, and the ATC stamp enhances their credibility. The university system, on the other hand, is not in a position to respond to the needs of the rapidly changing industry although many colleges and institutions have good standards of education. Moreover, most of the courses offered by it are intended to prepare students for a total career in computer. However, if can no longer keep their eyes shut to new developments. It is no wonder, therefore, that many universities have started collaborating with some top leaders of the training industry either to refine and enrich some of their existing programmes or to start new programmes in emerging technologies, (See Annexure 5). This new trend, in a sense, is leading to the establishment of a bridge between the industry and the academia.

On the other hand, there are also a large number of small-time players who do not observe the rules of the game and take students for a ride. High market demand for qualified manpower has prompted many a player to enter the field., though they do not have any previous experience in providing education. They are mushrooming all over the urban and semi-urban areas and many of them operate from a single room with hardly any infrastructural facilities., except a couple of PCs, pirated software, and one or two teachers with poor level of knowledge. They do not provide “hands-on experience”. Many smaller ones continue to offer training on applications and programming that are outdated. They thrive on the gullibility of unsuspecting students and their parents.

As has been stated in Chapter 5 (The Non-University Stream), the rosy pictures painted by training schools about the vast employment potential both in India and abroad has been good enough reason for students to rush to the computer schools in the neighbourhood. Press reports abound about students falling victims to a large number of such fly-by-night operators. Such institutions have given a bad name to the informal sector. To a great extent, some of the major IT training institutes of high reputation, have also contributed to the deteriorating educational standards by entering into franchisees of well-known institutes to teach fresh batches of students. The high cost of training courses offered by the major institutes drive many students to opt for the lesser known ones.

Number of Institutes: As has been stated earlier, the actual number of training institutes in the informal sector is not known. It is impossible to include in any census training shops sprouting in lanes and by-lanes of many urban and semi-urban areas. Both the birth and the death rates are equally high. Even some of the institutes which once had made their presence felt through advertisements disappeared from the scene. However, the annual survey conducted by Dataquest is the most important source of useful data about the institutes which really matter. The results of the current survey have been published in its issue of June 15, 2000.

The supplement to this issue “IT Training Course”, a very informative directory, lists over 1,200 training courses offered by 76 training vendors. Notable absentees in this year’s survey include Lakhotia Computers, SSI Ltd., and the First Computers. According to the survey, 76 institutes listed in the report offer 1204 courses in 16 broad areas. Of these, 156 are long term (more than 120 days), 312 medium-term (30-120 days), and the remaining 734 are short term (less than 30 days) courses. Two major leaders, Aptech Computer Education and NIIT, account for about 41.6% of the 4924 centres. As regards the course categories, top slots are still occupied by ERP (14.1%),Developer Tools (14.0%), RDBMS (10.1%), Web and Internet (9.4%), E-Commerce occupies seventh position with a score of 5.4%. Annexure 13 presents data about training vendors and course categories. The May 31, 2000 issue of the magazine also present an analysis of the data (pp. 84-85).

How to Go About

According to NASSCOM (National Association for Software Service Companies) report, the major software companies still prefer candidates holding BE/BTech and ME/MTech degrees. The main reason is that the formal schools expose students to basics of computing technologies. Moving on to any specialised application areas becomes easy for the products of the formal system. Many software companies, therefore, recruit such graduates, and subject them to rigorous in-house training. However, not many students can get entry into the prestigious engineering and technical institutes. Private institutes, therefore, become the only route to enter the world of computers.

The main problem with the private institutes is that they continuously shift their focus on “hot” technologies. Till recently, many institutes were offering programmes in IBM mainframes, ERP or AS/400, but they now swear by Internet, e-Commerce and the like. As changing technologies directly affect them, they are compelled to introduce newer programmes according to market demands. The major training institutes are aware of these facts. They are therefore, offering long-term “degree-like” programmes and often collaborating with foreign universities to award degrees.

Those who would like to opt for private institutes must be clear in their mind about what they want to be. Regular perusal of some of the well-known computer magazines like Computer Today and Dataquest would help them to get a good idea about the computer world in general and the education in computer in particular. For example, Computer Today publishes an annual feature in May about the training scenario. Before taking admission in any institute, the students should check some such facts:

a)  whether the institute is a franchisee or an independent entity,

b)  ratio of computers to students,

c)  quality of teachers (their qualification and experience),

d)  how current and relevant are the software and applications taught,

e)  whether the institute has an alliance with any major outfit well-known in the concerned area,

f)  course certificate,

g)  number of students in each batch.

It may also be advisable to talk to some of the current and the past students. They should be wary of big promises such as guaranteed placements either in India or abroad. Computer studies are a vast field and no one become a professional overnight. Here is a note of caution from an industry expert worth noting. “To have a sound knowledge of computing and to be able to implement comprehensive E-commerce solutions over the Web, a student needs to learn a number of concepts. These include operating system, programming languages and data structures, databases, visual programming, networks and network programming, computer organisation and architecture, as also the business concepts of supply chain management, payment systems and advertising and marketing. Unfortunately, students lack the domain knowledge of IT and get governed by the IT jargon and the buzzwords. This invariably takes them to the wrong course (Computer Today 16-31 May 2000.p.109) Though made in the context of e-Commerce, the observation is also valid for other course offerings.

However, there are also many application areas in IT which do not involve high level software engineering or programming skills such as database administration, system and network management, web page designing, film animation, fashion designing with IT, IT journalism. What is necessary is an awareness about the opportunities and pitfalls in the grand IT bazaar.

Update

Indian Institute of Information Technology (Hyderabad 500019)-IIT (H) has introduced a new course - PG Programme in Information Technology in Building Science. The course of two- year duration is open to Bachelor's degree holders in Civil Engineering and Architecture. It provides specialisation in three areas, viz, Building Design and Process, Construction Technology and Management, and Structural Design.

Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management - Kerala (IIITM -K) (Thiruvananthapuram - 695581):

A reference has been made on p.243 to Indian Institute of Information Technology established in Kerala. The Name of the Institute is however Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management - Kerala (IIIM - k). At present it offers a Postgraduate Diploma in Information Technology (PGDIT) of 18 months duration. Admission requirement is Bachelor's Degree in any branch of engineering and Technology or MCA degree with at least 60% marks in the aggregate. Admission is made on the basis of all India Test conducted by the Educational Consultant India Ltd. (EdCIL).

Andhra Pradesh Consortium of Universities and Institutions: The consortium has introduced an innovative inter-disciplinary two-year, post-graduate programme leading to the award of Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT). The programme is being offered in collaboration with leading universities from across the globe, such as the Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, and Pennsylvania Universities (USA). The programme is intended to provide opportunity not only to IT professionals but also professional from other disciplines. The first programme is open to engineering graduates and holder of MCA and MSc degree in physics, mathematics, computer science, electronics and statistics. Admissions are based on GRE and TOFEL courses.