Education Minister inaugurates online admission management system of Assam varsity
Silcahr, Aug 19: State Education Minister Dr Ranoj Pegu, on Wednesday, inaugurated the Online Admission Management System (OAMS) developed by Assam University Silchar which according to the varsity authority is a first of its kind step in the state.
In a virtually held meeting, the Minister of Education inaugurated the OAMS proceedings while the Minister of Forest and Environment Fisheries and Excise Parimal Suklabaidya, who was present at the university clicked the button to inaugurate the Online Examination Management System (OEMS). Minister of Urban Development Ashok Singhal, who is also the Guardian Minister of Cachar district, attended the event virtually while Silchar MLA Dipayan Chakraborty was Suklabaidya at the varsity.
Congratulating the initiative for the path-breaking initiative, Pegu said, "We are in a junction when Covid-19 is posing a challenge to go more on the digital mode and we have the New Education Policy emphasises more on the digitization of the education system. This is a time when our Prime Minister Narendra Modi is calling for digital India and e-offices are being implemented and there is a national mission on e-governance. This is a welcome step taken by the varsity which is the need of the hour. This year, in our Higher Education Council also, we have inaugurated an admission portal which will serve as a common portal for all the Higher Secondary schools and colleges. I congratulate the university authority for the vital step as I feel we need a holistic system to assist not just admission but facilitate for online teaching-learning process, management of the database. We are looking for ways to digitalize the entire education system that would cover the education process of students from early childhood to the university level. I would like to request other autonomous institutions and colleges to have their digital system in place within a short time. Government is ready to provide all assistance to the efforts. "
Suklabaidya, in his speech, said that this is the reflection of a new thought process that syncs with the necessity of the time which we all are into. "The COVID-19 has hit all aspects of life and the education sector has also been badly affected. The affiliated colleges under the university will benefit from the facilities introduced by the varsity and I congratulate everyone in the team."
Minister of Urban Development Ashok Singhal congratulated the varsity authority for the initiative saying, amidst the scare posed by COVID-19 since 2020 were worried about losing an entire academic year, this step of online admission and examination will help them immensely. "The tireless and selfless efforts of our doctors and nurses help us see through the grim situation of COVID-19. With the crisis, there comes an opportunity for exploring and exposing ourselves to online mode to teaching-learning and even admission and examination which will help the students a great deal. I congratulate the entire team of Assam University Silchar for visualizing and implementing the online mode of admission and examination process and I hope the teaching faculty members will motivate the students to make use of the facilities for the greater good and I look forward to visiting the varsity soon," the Minister said.
Silchar MLA Dipayan Chakraborty thanked the varsity administration for its efforts over the past 26 years since the institution started its journey in disseminating quality education in the region. He urged the authorities to keep the systems especially the examination part updated and monitored for the benefit of the students.
Prof Dilip Chandra Nath, vice-chancellor of the university said that the digitisation of the education system is inspired by the launch of the Digital India initiative by Prime Minister Narendra Modi back in 2015 and also the efforts by former President Pranab Mukherjee in launching the Swayam courses in 2017. "I have had discussions with the Controller of Examinations and made it clear that we need a drastic change in the examination process. At the college level, there should be monthly tests on an internal assessment basis while 20 per cent of the course can be covered in the end semester examination which would help the students from facing such unforeseen crises such as COVID-19. Teachers from the affiliated colleges can use the new examination system. These steps are taken as part of the process and I hope with time the efforts will reap expected results," the vice-chancellor said.
Earlier, Prof Sudipto Roy, professor at the Department of Information Technology of the university and also the chairperson of the OAMS and OEMS development committee highlighted on the platforms and said that in line with the Digital India mission and considering the COVID-19 situation, the university took this move to bring the common admission and examination process under one umbrella which will benefit students and faculty of 62 UG colleges, 13 B.Ed colleges and 3 Law colleges which are affiliated to the university along with the on-campus departments in Silchar and Diphu campus. The process will also take care of the convocation and migration issues of students.
Controller of Examination Dr Suprabir Dutta Roy said developed by the DCG Data Core System India Private Limited, this is the first of its kind initiative in the academic arena of the state and already 34 affiliated colleges have started using the OAMS facility.
Registrar of the varsity Dr PK Nath delivered the vote of thanks.
