'Business Process Reengineering (BPR)', the new management buzzword, has its relevance in Government too, and ICT plays a vital role in reengineering any organization. Before the start of the reengineering exercise in Haryana Board of Secondary Education (HBSE) in 2003, there was rampant corruption with a nexus between scheming schools, officials of the education department & board and teachers which made Haryana infamous for widespread copying. The system was unjust to the meritorious candidates. At this stage, fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of the system was carried out using ICT interventions, keeping client-focus as the ultimate objective. All these initiatives in the examination system ensured that copying was eradicated from the state. Need for Reengineering To identify the areas of problems and approach them in a systematic way, a study of the various aspects of functioning of the board was conducted. Feedback was taken from the various stakeholders, viz. teachers, schools, parents, board officials etc. A comprehensive database emerged on the basis of extensive interaction with the masses and media. The various pitfalls identified in the process were:
- Rampant corruption
- Lack of transparency
- Too much dependence on the officials
- Obsolete and outdated processes
Strategic Planning & Reengineering The organization required restructuring and redesigning, which would weed out obsolete and irrelevant aspects of functioning and focus only on those that served the clientele in the most optimal way. While formulating policies and designing the reengineered processes, brainstorming sessions were held. Officers were motivated to participate and give innovative solutions. The approach was four-fold: i) Analyze the problem threadbare in its entirety, ii) Reengineer the whole mechanism, iii) Galvanize every stakeholder into action and iv) Ensure ruthless implementation of the new policies. ICT Interventions: Based on the principles of BPR, the value stream processes were identified. Certain activities were off-loaded outside the organization to give maximum advantage to the examination system. NIC Haryana State Centre, NIC Bhiwani District Unit and NIC HQ at New Delhi provided requisite ICT support to the board. The role of ICT as an enabler in the entire process was given due importance. The various ICT interventions included: ICR scanning for pre-phase work: Integrated Character Recognition (ICR) scanning was introduced wherein the photos and signatures of candidates were scanned and printed on admit cards and certificates. This provided an effective check on the evil of 'impersonation' which was often resorted to in the previous examinations. OMR scanning for post-phase work: In the past, gross irregularities were reported, when award sheets were replaced by some officials. Newly designed Optical Magnetic Recognition (OMR) sheets rule out any possibility of manipulation. The new system is accurate, fast and ensures secrecy. HBSE becomes the first public examination body in the entire country to introduce scanning both in the pre and post phases. Enrolment procedure: The concept of BPR says that information should be captured once and that too at the source. This principle was used in reengineering the enrolment procedure. By this innovative practice & simplification, efforts of duplicity in dealing with data was avoided. Automation of Centre Allocation: HBSE became a pioneer in allotting centres through computerization to the candidates. This injected transparency and accuracy into the system. e-results: Now, the candidates can get their results through Internet, Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS), Helpline and through various mobile services. NIC provided the necessary assistance for providing e-results. Admit cards on website: With the help of NIC, HBSE took another leap forward by displaying the admit cards of private candidates on its website. So, the candidates need not worry about receiving the cards in time. Automation of accounts branch: All the receipts and payments have been computerized and various reports can be automatically generated. Data Collation: Earlier, the database of results was not updated and thus, the only resort to check eligibility was through huge gazettes. With the negligence/connivance of the board officials, various ineligible candidates could misuse the system. To tackle this problem, checking eligibility has become an easy job by way of data collation/conforming. Dependence on the staff has reduced and the system has become foot proof. A brief mention of another reengineering effort is in place, though it is a non-ICT intervention. Radical redesign was introduced in the procedure of application for the private candidates. The forms were redesigned so as to charge the examination fee at the time of purchase of forms from the authorized bank branches. Processing of all these forms have become simpler, long queues in the board have vanished, possibility of loss of forms removed, delays in schedule avoided and HBSE has been able to increase income by way of more interest earned. As a result of various ICT and other imaginative non-ICT initiatives and sustained/strident efforts of all concerned, the evil of mass copying in the school board examinations in Haryana stands totally eradicated, an admirable achievement universally acclaimed and acknowledged by all within and outside the State. The Project won the Golden Icon Award in the 'Professional Category' for 'Professional Excellence for Process Reengineering' in the 8th National E-Governance Conference held at Bhubaneswar in February.