- As the pandemic enforced restrictions disallowed people from working conventionally, the entire universe has gone digital in one or the other form by embracing the alternative and most appropriate platform available to sustain the day-to-day functionalities. Even before the pandemic, people in the know would recollect that the Prime Minister was vociferous in pushing for the Digital India campaign empowering society with online services for citizens keeping in line with the newest technology-enabled facilities earmarked as the next best thing to happen in terms of revolutionary changes.
PC:
- Cutting-edge technology-driven initiatives were spoken about incessantly and India, by being in the forefront of the Information Technology enabled services, was assumed to embrace the move full-throttle without doing the catching-up vis-à-vis other countries in driving the anticipated digital revolution. The usefulness and efficacy of digital platforms during these challenging times have proved beyond doubt that the same will be more than enough to bridge the gap from conventional to technology-driven new order.
- Work From Home (WFH), which used to be spoken in the IT parlance by professionals from the field, has become the de jure model for millions who are delivering results on expected lines. However, the technology also has glitches and people who encounter such deficiencies whilst working and/or indulging in accessing services would have faced certain challenges, sometimes embarrassing as well. On a few occasions, the digital interface may also land up many in difficulties robbing life-time savings/opportunities too.
PC: RAVI MALHOTRA
- Many of the online scams and cheating cases on the rise as reported by the Cyber Crime Police indicate that not everything in the digital world can be assumed to be foolproof leading to resultant losses of precious money and identities. One such case hit the headlines recently when an eighteen-year-old student Siddhant Batra found that out the hard way when he lost his seat for a coveted electrical engineering course in IIT Bombay after he inadvertently clicked on a wrong link during the online admission process.
- Note that Batra secured an admirable 270th rank in the Joint Entrance Exams (Advanced), but unfortunately appear to have not reaped its benefits in an intended manner. While filling out his admission details online, Batra came upon a ‘freeze’ option which he thought was meant to lock his seat choice. However, on clicking it, he was instantly withdrawn from the seat allocation process altogether. IIT has informed it cannot do much now in the matter advising Batra to apply again next year.
PC: Shmygal Denis
- It is not out of place to extoll the importance of extreme hard work that goes behind every aspirant preparing to crack the prestigious entrance exams for the IITs. As such, a mere wrong click of a button should not determine nor disqualify an eligible and meritorious candidate’s future. Of course, the matter is coming up in the Supreme Court for hearing and adjudication. Notwithstanding the same, it is incumbent on the part of IITs to show some flexible leniency that ensures a promising candidate is not deprived of quality learning.
