The University of Kerala has turned to automation to meet the rising student demands for various services, including timely issuance of certificates. A phased transition to an ambitious paperless system will get under way on Monday with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan formally launching a host of online services.
As many as 18 certificates, including degree certificates, semester-wise, provisional, and consolidated mark lists, course certificate, migration certificate, and equivalency certificate will be issued online. Around 10 certificates will be provided online in the initial phase. The facility will benefit regular, private registration, and distance education students of the varsity.
The e-certificates, along with the launch of a help desk at the Dr. K.R. Narayanan Memorial Students’ Amenity Centre, which will also be inaugurated on Monday, will do away with the need for students to make a beeline at the various section offices for various purposes. The help desk, which will be manned by five employees, will accept applications for the certificates.
According to official sources, the e-certificates will be rolled out in a phased manner with the first-semester students likely to becoming the first beneficiaries of the reform. They will receive mark lists with digital signatures. In the long run, the facility will enable students to gain admissions for further study or to apply for placements without requiring to wait for the hard copies.
SIn a year
The university hopes to put in place a full-fledged automated system within a year by extending the file-flow management system across various wings.
The efforts will be expedited with the development
of a student life-cycle management software that the university expects to complete within six months at a cost of ₹1.50 crore. The integrated software will lead to the creation of a student database that can be constantly updated until graduation. It will also avoid multiplicity of data, a problem that has often led to confusion and delays.
Besides the help desk, the student amenity centre will include provisions for post office, cash counter, cash office, bank, ATM counter, public relations office, food court, and a hall with stage and green room facilities for performances.
