When people work with dedication, when they are confident of themselves, it is inevitable that they win recognition. The Karnataka State Unit of the National Informatics Centre took up the work of computerization of the State's Common Entrance Test (CET) Cell with the attitude so inherent in NIC --- the attitude which has won accolades time and again.

Dr Sivakumar Reddy, IAS, Special Officer, CET Cell, Government Of Karnataka, speaks of his NIC experience:

It gives me immense pleasure to acknowledge the significant contributions made by a team of computer professionals from National Informatics Centre, Karnataka State Unit, Bangalore, in the computerization of all functions of the Common Entrance Test Cell, including the year's Spot Allotment System (SAS) of seats in professional colleges in a smooth and transparent way.

Professional Attitude

But for the total dedication and exemplary devotion to duty of these young and dynamic people, the success of this project, and that too in record time, would not have been possible. The limitation of office working hours has never been a constraint for these professionals as they have, from the beginning, stayed back and worked wholeheartedly to complete tasks within their specified time frame.

National Informatics Centre, Bangalore, was involved from the initial stages in Technical Consultancy and Software Development for the Spot Allotment System of the CET Cell. For the first time in Karnataka, Optical Mark Reading (OMR) machine was used for reading, storing and analysing the data of candidates and also for scanning and evaluation of answer scripts to arrive at the 1994 CET Merit List. It needs to be specially mentioned that the whole process of evaluation of answer sheets of about 68,000 candidates was completed in a very short time. Keeping track of several changes in the reservation policy, the CET Cell could announce results on time with the help of a flexible software system developed specifically for the purpose.

Salient Features

Salient features of the Spot Allotment System include:

  • Registration: Each candidate is initially registered in order of rank. This allows the SAS not to allot seats to candidates lower in rank until candidates of higher ranks are either allotted seats or are not willing to accept the seats available.
  • Verification: After registration, one has to get his/her documents verified against the computer data. Only valid changes can be incorporated in the database. Inbuilt checks and balances ensure that the data is maintained in tamper-proof condition.
  • Allotment: After verification, the candidate is led to the Spot Allotment Counter where current vacancy position for all categories of colleges/ courses is displayed on huge electronic display boards and TV monitors. The candidates are given reasonable time to select the course/college of their choice out of the existing vacancies, allotment made and admission orders issued on the spot.

Finishing Touch

This year, the CET Cell had arranged for a Bank Extension Counter at the Cell premises, wherein payment of fees etc. by the candidates was made possible. The entire range of bank operations related to the CET admissions was also computerized by NIC.

In this way, all the operations involved in running the CET Cell were computerized by the Karnataka State Unit of the National Informatics Centre. A large number of data security measures were also taken in order to avoid wilful distortion of computer data. Access to the database was limited to a few responsible persons only.

I place on record, the CET Cell's gratitude to NIC for all the help given and wish it success in all assignments it takes up in the future.