E-governance can be defined as giving citizens the choice of when they access the government information and services as e-governance is a process of reforms in the way government works, share information and deliver services to external and internal clients for benefit of both government and citizens and business that they serve.

Traditional governance versus e-governance

Under traditional governance if citizens have to access to some information he/she was suppose to go to the particular department to seek that information.

On the other side in e-governance now the scenario has been changed as government departments has come one step behind and information system are there so citizens can now use web service, web portals, or other media to get the information.

Pillars of e-governance:

• Process
• People
• Technology
• Resources

Objective of e-governance

• To deliver services to people in better way and that to in an affordable cost.
• To bring transparency and accountability.
• To empower people through information.
• To improve efficiency in government process.
• To improve interface with stake holders.

e- Governance initiative:

A mission model project is an individual project within the national e-governance place that focuses on one aspect of the electronic governance such as banking, land records, and commercial taxes etc.

Within NeGP “Mission Model” implies that project have clearly defined the outcomes, milestones, implementation, and timelines.

NeGP comprises of 31MMPs which are further categorized into states, central and integrated project, each state governments can also defines five MMPs specific to its individual need.
e- Governance in Higher Educational Institutions.

Higher educational institutes develop the intellectual, capital, knowledge and innovations necessary for development of society capital such as good governance, rules, democracy and society.

Areas of Higher Educational Institutions for e-governance project:

• Interactive among faculty, school and departments.
• Integration of finance and account.
• Student enrolment and admission.
• Examination and certification.
• Research and development.
• Student placements.
• Enhancement of teaching skills of faculty.

MHRD and AICTE initiative
SWAYAM is the Indian electronic platform which proposes to offer courses from high school stage to post graduate stage in an interactive electronic platform covering all disciplines.

MOOC’s-Massive open online courses are available on all kind of subject. The purposes are to provide best quality education to more than 3 crore students across the country.

KYCP- Know your college portal was launched by the ministry of human resources development which promote and promise to be one stop shop for students and parents to know about various colleges in the country. The portal is updated with relevant information about every college.

CBCS- Choice based credit system will enable students to take courses of their choice, learn at their own place, undergo additional courses and adopt an interdisciplinary approach to learning and all universities are in process to implement this system.

NIRF- National institutional ranking framework

In which each higher education is evaluated on 5 board parameter:

• Teaching
• Research
• Graduation outcomes
• Outreach inclusive nature.
• Public Perception.

These ranks are declared on the first Monday of April every year.

GIAN - Global initiative for academic network.

It was launched as an initiative to attract the best foreign academic to Indian universities of excellence. The program has been launched to facilitate the partnership between higher education institutions of India and other foreign universities.

Role of e-governance in Higher education institution

1. Introduction of e-governance in education will empower the education system by providing new ways of communications between teacher to student, teacher ton their fellow teachers and between student to student.
2. E-governance can enhance and promote new methods of delivering the desired knowledge to students and will offer new insight to organize and deliver the requisite services.
3. Cost effective technology combined with the flexibility in learning and administration activities is essential to enhance efficiency as computer can be used for educational administrations.
4. The quality of our higher education system can be improved to make institutes really world class in fastest possible way.

Difference between E-government and E-governance

E-govt- The executive aim of the state, public administration in action arm of government, its application of ICT by govt. Agencies to improve efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and accountability in its entire activities.

Ex- Web portals of government agencies providing online services, UMANG portal of central government, paperless office, biometric attendance system, govt e-markets etc.

E-governance- It is the way government get its job done ways and processes by which government manages the affairs of state and nations and structure and process by which agendas are set, policies are formulated and its implementations.

It also the use of ICT in governance of a nation, as it helps in collaboration among multiple stakeholders, it also entails more efficient, effective, transparent and accountable governance model.

Ex- My govt portal, where in citizen participates in governance, online consultation and feedback by regulation, policy agencies, and parliamentary committee, social media PM interacting people on twitter online opinion poll.

Development of e-governance in India

• Department of electronics was set up in 1970
• National information center was set up in 1977
• NIC was able to connect all districts to New Delhi through VSAT terminal.
• 1984-89 Rajeev Gandhi gave big approval to computerization and to use ICT in governance.
• 1990s-2000 Digitalization of land records and other government records started, state wise area network (SWAN), e-governance in driving license, land registration and websites of government agencies were also done.
• 2000- IT act was there to do legal backing to digital signature, digital documents, and emails.
• 2006 National e governance plan was launched with 27 mission model project.
• 2008- Second administrative reforms commission titled promoting e-governance, the smart way forward launched the common service center.
• 2009 National unique identification project was launched (Aadhar)
• 2011-2012 NIC launched e-office, paperless office in central government ministries and agencies.
• 2014 My government. Portal was launched and national e-governance division under Ministry of electronics and IT launched several e-govt initiatives as UMANG (united mobile application for new age governance).
• 2015-2019 Digital India mission launched, direct benefit transfer scheme was launched, digital village etc.

Written by: Saksham Ahlawat - B.A.LL.B (hons) Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali