COMPUTER
The Computer Service Centre has come a long way since it made a small beginning with only two personal computers in 1989. In a short span of 3-4 years, the Computer Centre has been equipped with latest of new and suitable technology in terms of hardwares and softwares. Installation of Local Area Network (LAN) operating system which ensures on-line updation of centralised database with complete security and bringing the chances of data corruption to almost nil is a landmark in enhancing the operational inhouse capabilities of the Computer Service Centre.
Following are the components of Local Area Network at NOS:
File Server HALLMARK 486 Super Mini EISA system from PCL with following configuration:
80486 CPU, 33MHz, 8 MB RAM, 760X2 MB SCSIHDD,1.2 MBFDD, 150 MB CTD for back-up, 2 MB cacheon board, VGA mono Monitor
Nodes Existing P (ATs)/PC(XTs) have also been hooked up as nodes. Five more PC (AT) 286 have been purchased in order to provide the nodes at various required places.
Line Printer One more line printer was purchased during the year in order to carry out the load of large volume of printing required in NOS. Lipi data products B-600 line printer with the capacity of printing 600 lines per minute has been purchased during the year.
Laser Printer A Laser Printer HP Series III was also purchased during the year for DTP jobs.
Softwares * Advance Novell Netware version 3.11 for 20 users as Basic Operating System with disk mirroring has been operationalised. This version of Netware makes the file server as dedicated file server which means server can not work as a node besides being server.
* LAN based system softwares for database, word processor and spreadsheet were installed.
* DTP softwares Ventura, Pagemaker and Prakashak have been installed to strengthen the DTP unit.
Services Equipped with the latest technology and high functional efficiency, the Computer Service Centre was able to maintain a fight schedule of admission session and 4 examination sessions in the academic streams with a great degree of accuracy.
With the networking, the retrieval and updation of data is possible from any system connected to the network. Earlier, it was a problem to maintain students records with on-line updations. There was always a fear of overwriting of updated data with the earlier version of the data. Also, it was difficult to keep track of what is where.
Following services were delivered during the year:
Admission July-1992 It was the first Admission Session when the data-entry of the admission forms was done under the environment of Networking. Following major services
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were rendered :
* In-house data-entry of approximately 55,000 students data of 280 characters record length;
* Verification and updation of data;
* Checklist and other status reports like medium wise, sex wise, age wise, state wise enrolment of students; and
* Identity cards for each student
Computer Marked Assessment June 92 & Jan. 93 Approximately 6,000 and 50,000 candidates appeared in Jun-92 and Jan. 93 CMA tests respectively. The evaluation and result declaration of Jan. 93 CMA was done in a record time of 15 days. The pressure was due to postponement of Dec. 92 CMA for 3 weeks to Jan. 93.
From this CMA, the system of CMA result evaluation and list of eligible candidates for subsequent external examinations was integrated.
Pre-examination May/November 1992 Following pre-exam services were rendered for approximately 65,000 students for May/November, 1990 Examinations:
* Data-entry for examination within built self check;
* Verification and updation of data;
* Reports;
* A.I. wise list of candidates and edit list;
* Roll no. wise list of candidates;
* Centre/Roll no. wise list;
* Cummulative Question Paper statement;
* Centre wise Question Paper statement;
* Numerical Return Statement;
* Intimation Letter to individual student;
* Question Paper Reciepts.
Vocational System Development NOS has introduced 17 vocational courses from 1992. This was the new area of application for computerisation during the year. System analysis, designing and codification for the Application Package for Vocational Courses admissions, pre-exam processing and post-exam processing were undertaken and packages developed for comprehensive services similar to academic courses. The first examination in the Vocational Stream will be held in June-93. It was decided that the post-examination processing would be done in-house and the application software package for the same would be developed by some outside Software Consultancy.
DTP jobs During the year the Desk Top Publishing jobs were made fully operational. The composition of all small books, journals, magazines and reports will be done by in-house DTP set up. Guidelines for external examinations, provisional certificate and other reports were composed during the year.
Computerisation of Learning Materials The data-entry of Learning Materials for Secondary course was organised inhouse
Administrative Services During the year a separate workstation was provided to cover the following administrative jobs:
* day-to-day correspondence;
* preparation of report/minutes;
* preparation of Annual Budget; and
* preparation of salary bills.
Correspondence Printing of letters is a voluminous job for computer unit. During the year, following letters were printed using two fast line printers :
* 100,000 individual provisional admission letters for July-92 Admission;
* 65,000 Intimation letters for May92/Nov-92 examinations;
* 80,000 Intimation letters for Dec-92 CMA/June-93 CMA;
* Mail-Merging a number of letters to all Accredited Institutions/ examinations centres;
System Maintenance System maintenance is the most important aspect of all computer system which includes running of all the existing systems perfectly well and keeping proper back-up of all systems, applications and the valuable data.
Perspective Plan A committee was constituted by the Chairman, NOS to develop a perspec- tive plan for information technology and computerisation of NOS Management. The objectives of such an exercise are :
* To develop a forward (3-5 years) planner for total computerisation.
* To take stock of present hardware, softwares and manpower capabilities existing in NOS.
* To develop a plan of implementation of computerisation in NOS.
The members of the committee includes experts from IGNOU, JNU, NIIT, Delhi University and Department of Electronics.
The committee has already started its work and held a few meetings.
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