After sitting over the demand for years, Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU) has finally initiated the process of digitisation of its various departments. Vice-Chancellor Dr Manali Kshirsagar has issued directives to the IT Department to take up the exercise on priority. Senior Senate Member Adv Manmohan Bajpai has been consistently raising the issue for the last 15 years, particularly stressing the need to digitise old university records and examination-related documents.

 

The issue came up during a recent Senate meeting when Bajpai questioned the university authorities over how long it would take to introduce proper digitisation. He pointed out that merely computerising office work could not be termed digitisation. Earlier, IT Cell Director Satish Shende informed the House that the digitisation work had been completed. Bajpai, however, questioned him on whether a person requiring a particular old document from the College Section could obtain it online by completing the required process and paying the prescribed fee. Shende could not provide a clear response. Bajpai then explained the distinction between computerisation and digitisation, stressing that the university needed to move beyond simply using computers for its existing work. “If one needs old documents, one should be able to get them online by paying the prescribed fee. Whatever is being done at present is computerisation.

 

We need proper digitisation, especially of the Examination and Result sections,” Bajpai said. Bajpai stressed that digitisation should enable students, colleges and other stakeholders to access old records and documents online without having to physically visit university offices. Taking note of the issue, Dr Kshirsagar assured the House that the digitisation exercise would be undertaken on priority. She also informed the Senate that some departments have already been digitised, while the process is underway in the remaining departments. The move is expected to make access to university records easier, reduce dependence on physical files and improve the efficiency and transparency of various administrative and examination-related processes.