Learn IT or forget promotion

BHUBANESWAR: Learn IT or miss it. Odisha Government’s latest missive to its employees is to educate themselves on information communication and technology (ICT) or simply forget promotional avenues.Taking a cue from Maharashtra, the Odisha Government has launched its State-wide IT Literacy Mission under which all Grade A, B and C employees will have to get Odisha State-Certificate in Information Technology (OS-CIT).The Government which issued a resolution on Saturday made it clear that officials of “semi-government bodies, public sector undertakings, local self-governments, primary and secondary schools, higher secondary schools, ITIs, polytechnics, colleges, universities, presently serving in Grade A, B and C, will be eligible for next promotion subject to successful completion of OS-CIT at their own cost and submission of certificate of OS-CIT.”The employees have been given a two year time frame to successfully complete OS-CIT from the date of government resolution (December 24) or from the date of their appointment to the posts whichever is later and at their own cost. Besides, completion of OS-CIT will be included as a condition in the appointment letters of the candidates.OS-CIT, the Government resolution said, will now be considered a de-facto standard for IT literacy in the State and an essential qualification for entry into Group A, B and C services of the government, semi-government bodies, PSUs, local self governments, primary and secondary schools, higher secondary schools, ITIs, polytechnics, colleges and universities with effect from April 1, 2012.However, employees having master degree in computer application, science, and information technology, bachelor degree in engineering and information technology, science, computer application and post graduate diploma in computer application will be exempt from the OS-CIT certificate.The certificate examination - online - will be fully managed by Orissa Knowledge Corporation Ltd (OKCL) and Council of Higher Secondary Education. The OKCL is formed as a joint venture company between the Department of Higher Education and Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Ltd (MKCL) and their authorised learning centres will be used for conduct of the course. However, educational institutions and private training centres would be authorised when they will comply with norms of OKCL and selected centres would get a share of per learner’s fee.At the end of the course, online examination would be conducted on regular basis by OKCL on a State-wide scale. After completion of the final examination, instant e-Certificate will be issued to the successful candidates while the final certificate will come from OKCL and CHSE. While OKCL will manage the course, MKCL will provide the back-end support.The State Government, which has recommended the certificate course for all sections of the society, forged a collaboration with MKCL, a public limited company established by Maharashtra Government after studying how the latter successfully implemented a mass IT literacy movement and made 6 million learners.