The National Informatics Centre did an outstanding job in computerization of the Regional Passport Office (RPO), Chandigarh during January 1996. The on-line Passport Control System (PCS) at the RPO, Chandigarh works to the mutual benefit of the office and its Users. In the first phase nearly 20 terminals were made on-line including five at the counters where applications are received and receipts given to the applicants. The PCS automatically allocates a file reference number to each applicant's receipt which is to be referred to for any further correspondence/enquiry regarding the file.

The PCS system facilitates:

  • Categorization of the application forms under different heads on the basis of the district codes and the nature of the services such as fresh, renewal, official/diplomatic, loss/damage cases etc.
  • Printing of CID covering letters at the counters where the applications are submitted. Thereafter district-wise CID enquiry letters of all the applicants along with a district-wise list of the applicants are forwarded to the respective police chiefs to enable them to carry out their enquiries.
  • Reviewing of the complete application forms received after completion of CID enquiry. The files are put up for approval and if there is any objection such as incomplete documents/application form, it is noted in the computer through codes.
  • Objection letters are then printed automatically by the PCS and are mailed to the respective applicant asking for more information/documents etc.
  • The labels for despatch of granted passports and the journal register are also printed by PCS.
  • In each section and at every stage, movement of the file is recorded in the computer. Thereby facilitating the applicants to keep track of the preceding of their cases by simply quoting their file reference number allotted to them at the time of application submission. The main advantage is retrieval of the status of application at any point of time, which was otherwise a tedious process when done manually.

Necessary training and orientation programmes were organized for the benefit of the RPO staff before the computerization of PCS. This was done to inculcate the needed computer culture in the officials and hence enable work efficiency.