SECTION-1

Q1.

There are various e-governance models that can be used as a guide in designing egovernment initiatives. Discuss.

Five important models of e-governance have been identified, which can be used as a guide in
designing e-government initiatives depending on the local situation and governance activities
that are expected to be performed. These models are:
i.

The Broadcasting Model

The model is based on dissemination/broadcasting of useful governance information,
which is in the public domain into the wider public domain with ICT and convergent
media. This raises awareness among the citizens about ongoing governance processes and
government services that are available to them and how they can benefit from them.

ii.

The Critical Flow Model

The model is based on broadcasting information of 'critical' value to targeted audience
using ICTs and other tools. The strength of this model is that ICT makes the concept of
distance and time redundant when information is hosted on a digital network, and this
could be used advantageously by instantly transferring the critical information to its
strategic user group located anywhere or by making it freely available in the wider public
domain.

iii.

The Comparative Analysis Model

It is one of the least-used but a high potential e-governance model for developing
countries. The model can be used to empower people by comparing cases of bad
governance with those of good governance and identifying specific aspects of bad
governance, the reasons and people behind them, and how the situation can be improved

iv.

E-Advocacy/Mobilisation and Lobbying Model

E-Advocacy / Mobilization and Lobbying Model is one of the most frequently used
Digital Governance model and has often come to the aid of the global civil society to
impact on global decision-making processes. It is based on setting up a planned, directed
flow of information to build strong virtual allies to complement actions in the real world.
Virtual communities are formed which share similar values and concerns and these
communities in turn link up with or support real-life groups/activities for concerted
action.

v.

The Interactive-Service Model

Interactive-Service model is a consolidation of the other digital governance models and
opens up possibilities for one-to-one and self-serviced participation of individuals in
governance processes. ICTs have the potential to bring every individual into a digital
network and enable interactive (two-ways or multiple-ways) flow of information among
them. As the participation is direct and not through representatives, it can bring greater
objectivity and transparency in decision-making processes, and give a greater feeling of

involvement and empowerment, provided that individuals are willing to engage in the
governance processes.
Q4. Highlight the role of ICT in agriculture development.
It is clear that ICTs have brought to the fore, new ways of doing things. There is realization that
ICTs should be integrated to be effectively used in agriculture development as facilitating tools
to boost its impact to the lives of farmers. The role of ICTs to stimulate agriculture, enhance food
security and support rural livelihoods is increasingly recognized and was officially endorsed at
the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) 2003-2005. The computers, internet,
geographical information systems, mobile phones, as well as traditional media such as radio or
TV stimulates participation enhances value to productivity.
Telecentres provide facilitating roles to agriculture development such as market information
access, issues of climate change, and centres for knowledge and information exchange. They also
provide a huge potential for knowledge centres and e- governance services as well as avenues for
ICT awareness and literacy for the local communities.
In the context of agriculture there are five key services or functions that are very closely realted
to ICT:
i. Access to information thorugh different types of Agricultutral Information Systems (AIS)
ii. Monitoring the situation of natural resources and environmental impact rhrough different
Information Processing Tools.
iii. Education and Communication TEchnolofies that are playing a very important role in
generating new approaches to learning and knowledge management.
iv. Networking is the first step in direction of debeloping interactive knowledge
development processes that may lead to learning networks.
v. Decision Support Systems (DSS) through which data and information provide relevant
knowledge inputs for informed decision-making.
National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management.
The aim of the institute is to instill managerial and technical skills to Extension Officers,
Managers, Scientists and Administrators in the agricultural economy, to enable them to provide
support and services to farmers and fishermen for practicing sustainable agriculture.
Village Knowledge Centre (VKC) serves as information dissemination centre providing instant
access to farmers to latest information/ knowledge available in the field of agriculture, starting
from crop production to marketing. VKC is a place to render distant services from a single
window point to rural masses especially in remote areas of the country through modern
Information and Communication Technology. There will be live interactive sessions in real time
by the central speaker with audience at remote villages or content already prepared on any
subject that the rural communities might need or desire, will be disseminated.

Farmers now need information about trend and technology needed in farming so as to produce
more and participate effectively in setting price of their product. To make all this possible huge
utilization of ICT must be taken as the first priority
SECTION-II
Q6.

Write a note on e-learning systems.

E-learning (eLearning or e-Learning) is the use of electronic educational technology in teaching

and learning. A virtual learning environment (VLE) is a Web-based platform for the digital
aspects of courses of study, usually within educational institutions. VLE also called Managed
Learning Environment (MLE), Learning Management System (LMS), Course Management
System (CMS), Learning Support System (LSS) or Learning Platform (LP).
In the early days it received a bad press, as many people thought computers would remove that
human element, but as time has progressed technology has developed, and now we embrace
smartphones and tablets, as well as using a wealth of interactive designs that makes distance
learning not only engaging for the users, but valuable as a lesson delivery medium.
VLE makes extensive use of computers and internet to implement all the elements essential for
learning, such as:

Syllabus
Administrative information
A noticeboard
Student registration and tracking facility
Teaching and reading materials.

E-learning offers the ability to share material in all kinds of formats such as videos, slideshows,
word documents and PDFs. Conducting webinars (live online classes) and communicating with
professors via chat and message forums is also an option available to users. Some of the most
important developments in education have happened since the launch of the internet. These days
learners are well versed in the use of smartphones, text messaging and using the internet so
participating in and running an online course has become a simple affair.
Overall, traditional learning is expensive, takes a long time and the results can vary. E-learning
offers an alternative that is faster, cheaper and potentially better.
In India, an e-learning system namely E-Vidyapeeth has been conceived. By the Center for
Development of Advanced Computings (C-DACs) Advanced Computing Training school
(ACTs). This is meant to be a distance education program that is totally technology driven right
from the registration process to payment facility.

e-Vidyapeeth is a learning management system and e-learning infrastructure product. "This has
been conceived with a vision to transform the Internet into a powerful environment for teaching
and learning.
e-Vidyapeeth has been envisioned as a virtual classroom with the delivery of content coming
from ACTs. Students can choose the course of their interest by browsing the e-Vidhyapeeth site
and then can register for the appropriate course.
Besides, it will be a main portal for all the students to get most up-to-date information for their
lectures and exercises. With the help of this system, monitoring student performances will
become easier.
Q7.

Bring out the benefits and limitations of e-commerce

The benefits of Electronic commerce can be described in terms of organisations, consumers and
society.
Benefits to Organisations:

It decreases the cost of creating, processing, distributing, storing, and retrieving paperbased information.
It allows reduced inventories and overhead by facilitating pull-type supply chain
management. In a pull-type system the process starts from customer orders and uses justin-time manufacturing.
Electronic commerce reduces the time between the outlay of capital and the receipt of
products and services.
Electronic commerce initiates business processes reengineering projects.

Benefits to Consumers
The benefits to consumers are as follows:

Electronic commerce enables customers to shop or do other transactions 24 hours a day,

all year round, from almost any location.
Customers can receive relevant and detailed information in seconds, rather than days or
weeks.
It allows customers to interact with other customers in electronic communities and
exchange ideas as well as compare experiences.
It facilitates competition, which results in substantial discounts.

Benefits to Society
The benefits of EC to society are as follows:

Electronic commerce enables more individuals to work at home and to do less traveling
for shopping, resulting in less traffic on the roads and lower air pollution.
It allows some merchandise to be sold at lower prices, so less affluent people can buy
more and increase their standard of living.
This includes opportunities to learn professions and earn college degrees.
It facilitates delivery of public services, such as health care, education, and distribution of
government social services at a reduced cost and/or improved quality.

The Limitations of EC
The limitations of EC can be grouped into technical and nontechnical categories.
The technical limitations of EC are as follows:

The software development tools are still evolving and changing rapidly.
It is difficult to integrate the Internet and EC software with some existing applications
and databases.
Vendors may need special Web servers and other infrastructures, in addition to the
network servers.
Some EC software might not fit with some hardware, or may be incompatible with some
operating systems or other components.

Of the many nontechnical limitations that slow the spread of EC, the following are the major
ones.

The customers perceive security and privacy issues as very important, and, the EC
industry has a very long and difficult task of convincing customers that online
transactions and privacy are, in fact, very secure.
Lack of trust and user resistance, Customers do not trust an unknown faceless seller
paperless transactions, and electronic money.
Many legal issues are as yet unresolved, and government regulations and standards are
not refined enough for many circumstances.
Electronic commerce, as a discipline, is still evolving and changing rapidly. Many people
are looking for a stable area before they enter into it.
Electronic commerce could result in a breakdown of human relationships.

Q 10. Write a note on National E-governance Plan.

The National e-Governance Plan (NeGP) has been formulated by the Department of Electronics
and Information Technology (DEITY) and Department of Administrative Reforms and Public
Grievances (DARPG).
The NeGP aims at improving delivery of Government services to citizens and businesses with
the following vision:

"Make all Government services accessible to the common man in his locality, through common
service delivery outlets and ensure efficiency, transparency & reliability of such services at
affordable costs to realise the basic needs of the common man."
Based on lessons learnt from the past and the experience from successful e-Governance
applications, the approach and methodology adopted for NeGP contains the following elements:
i. Common Support Infrastructure: NeGP implementation involves setting up of common and
support IT infrastructure such as: State Wide Area Networks (SWANs), State Data Centres
(SDCs), Common Services Centres (CSCs) and Electronic Service Delivery Gateways.
ii. Governance: Suitable arrangements for monitoring and coordinating the implementation of
NeGP under the direction of the competent authorities have also been substantially put in place.
The programme also involves evolving/ laying down standards and policy guidelines, providing
technical support, undertaking capacity building, R&D, etc.
iii. Centralised Initiative, Decentralised Implementation: e-Governance is being promoted
through a centralised initiative to the extent necessary to ensure citizen-centric orientation, to
realise the objective of inter-operability of various e-Governance applications and to ensure
optimal utilisation of ICT infrastructure and resources while allowing for a decentralised
implementation model. It also aims at identifying successful projects and replicating them with
required customisation wherever needed.
iv. Public-Private Partnerships (PPP): PPP model is to be adopted wherever feasible to
enlarge the resource pool without compromising on the security aspects.
v. Integrative Elements: Adoption of unique identification codes for citizens, businesses and
property is to be promoted to facilitate integration and avoid ambiguity.
vi. Programme Approach at the National and State levels: For implementation of the NeGP,
various Union Ministries/Departments and State Governments are involved. Considering the
multiplicity of agencies involved and the need for overall aggregation and integration at the
national level, NeGP is being implemented as a programme, with well-defined roles and
responsibilities of each agency involved.
viii. Ownership of Ministries: Under the NeGP, various MMPs are owned and spearheaded by
the concerned line Ministries. In case there are any ongoing projects which fall in the MMP
category, they would be suitably enhanced to align them with the objectives of NeGP. States
have been given the flexibility to identify a few additional state-specific projects, which are
relevant for the economic development of the State.