Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur was established in 1962 as the University of Jodhpur. There are four Government Colleges of Jodhpur that became part of the University. This was the only residential University in the State of Rajasthan, catering mainly the needs of students of western Rajasthan (the Marwar). The University stands strong with the current strength of 1, 75,000 Students, 1000 Employees and 250 Affiliated Colleges & Department.

Issues Faced:

The University was facing huge problems primarily in Admission, Examination and Administrative front. Since University relied on manual process, discrepancies were bound to happen. On the other hand, the examinations were dependent on manual records because of which as a result, many a times there were cases of incorrect submission of records by the students. Also it was found that there were cases of filling up of examination forms for which they were ineligible.

Competence Provided:

After implementing Integrated University Management System (IUMS), the admission & examination process of the University has become more fluid and unambiguous along with various administrative activities. IUMS has facilitated efficient functioning, since it is hosted on Cloud in Managed Services Model and fulltime resources are being deployed for handholding and support at the University Campus.

Mohanlal Sukhadia University also called as the University of Udaipur is a public university situated in Udaipur. The University currently holds the strength of 2, 25,000 students, 450 employees, 200 Affiliated Colleges & Departments. The University has recently implemented Expedien’s Integrated University Management System (IUMS).

The Challenge:

The University faced issues on the Admission, Examination and Administrative front. Since manual processes were being followed in the day to day running of the University, there were certain set of problems that were being faced like discrepancies in the admission process. On the other hand, the examinations were dependent on manual records; as a result of which many a times incorrect records were submitted by the students and they would end up filling forms for examinations they were not eligible for. Hence the University felt the need of technologically stepping up the entire functioning and build efficiencies in its system.

The Solution:

After implementing Integrated University Management System (IUMS), all processes were streamlined and completed on time. The admission & examination process of the University became transparent and efficient along with the various administrative activities. The IUMS is hosted on Cloud in Managed service model and fulltime resources are being deployed for handholding & Support at the University Campus.

The Rajasthan University of Veterinary Sciences (RAJUVAS), Bikaner has revamped its examination process with the implementation of Expedien’s On-Screen Evaluation and Advanced Examination Management System (OSES). In a historical move, that may well change the way exams are conducted in the state, RAJUVAS has overcome challenges faced by examiners across India.

Challenges in the examination system, the Indian scenario

Examinations are a tedious and lengthy process, involving large data and logistics management. The process begins with setting of the question paper, which involves a great deal of co-ordination among those entrusted with the task. Examination centres are far flung, posing logistical challenges. Ensuring secrecy is paramount, as there are always chances of the question paper being leaked, a very common phenomenon in India. Transporting answer sheets to checkers entails the danger of sheets being lost or damaged. Checking the answer sheets is a laborious, time-consuming process with a high probability of human error being committed while calculating marks. The list of problems is thus, endless.

Expedien recognized these challenges. With an experience of more than 15 years the higher education space, we were all too familiar with the gaps existing in the system, and designed solutions that were geared for the Indian higher education landscape. Speed and efficiency is the bedrock of our technology which has now been adopted by Cental and State Universities across India. One such example is the OSES, which has been designed after a careful step by step review of the examination cycle in India.

The correct answer is OSES

OSES is a state-of-the-art examination automation system that covers all aspects of the examination process. From setting a question paper, delivery, evaluation, result compilation, mark sheet and certificate generation, it uses technology that makes the smooth, error free, secure and efficient. OSES was implemented by RAJUVAS for the first time during its Final B.V.Sc & A.H Examination held on 3rd April, 2014. Apart from bringing transparency, efficiency and accountability into the system, the university was also able to achieve the following major objectives.

A centralized, web-based user interface allowed RAJUVAS to store, retrieve, manage and aggregate all exam-related information. Operating costs were reduced, with documents being transported online. RAJUVAS was able to declare results on time, as a result of answer sheets being corrected and results compiled on time. After the examination, the university could track subject-wise marks given by various examiners through interactive dashboards. These were also used for evaluating the status of answer sheets, checked, pending etc. Earlier, this was a near impossible task.

Kerela Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (Kvasu)

A famous Veterinary University in Kerela, Kavasu is spread across 30 locations in the verdant state. This includes 3 colleges, cattle, goat and livestock farms, dairy and meat processing plants. The University offers full-fledged programs in education, research and extension services in the field of Veterinary and Animal Sciences.

While Kvasu is a well-established University in Kerela, it has been in the process of building infrastructure to match international standards. It also sees itself as being a catalyst of rural development in the region by strengthening the bonds between scientists and farmers through the means of technology transfer.

The Challenge:

Despite big goals that Kvasu had set for itself, the University still relied on manual processes for its overall functioning. At the colleges, enrolment for the exams was being done manually, with Excel records being maintained. Data in these sheets was redundant. There was duplicity of data and errors were being made while feeding the data. Attendance records were inadequate. There was insufficient data for the University to make any forecasts. Invariably, there were delays in declaring results and the University was also unable to generate degrees and certificates in time.

Being a Government University, there were different cadres of employees; gazetted and non-gazetted, labourers, teaching staff. There was no proper payroll process, or different treatment of salary for different staff. The existing system called for manual submission of salary bills to the reporting office, which would then have to be approved by an officer. This led to delays in salary disbursement.

The Solution

After IUMS was implemented, all processes were streamlined and transactions completed in a timely fashion. Salary bills are submitted online and approved online. All reports, bills are generated automatically and Kvasu has steadily achieved the goal of a paperless office. E-Noting feature further makes it easier to keep track of files, their location and status.

Farms

Automation has brought about unimagined efficiencies to Kvasu’s dairy and animal farms. The University now has proper, updated records on each animal and each transaction related to them. There are records on the sale, purchase, birth or animals. Their health status is available at a glance. At the dairy farms, milk and milk production has been automated and proper inventory maintained of all products.

Thus, Kvasu has been able to realize its mission of being a top Research University in the field of Veterinary and Dairy Sciences.

Guru Ghasidhas Vishwavidyalaya (GGU) is a Central University in Bilaspur, Chattisgarh. The University is a Residential University offering affiliations to many colleges in the region. Courses are offered across disciplines.

The Challenge

GGU being located in a primarily small town of Bilaspur, it did not have much access to technology. Manual processes were being followed in the day to day running of the University, leading to problems and wastage of time and human resources. Cumbersome data recording procedures, delays in bills processing, lack of visibility on numbers left the University functioning at less than its optimal level. Automation was limited, with some records being maintained in Excel sheets and documents using FoxPro. The University recognized the urgent need of revamping the entire functioning and build efficiencies in its system.

The Solution

Expedien’s IUMS was implemented and all processes related to Student Life-Cycle, from admissions to examinations were automated. The areas that were streamlined as a result were as follows.

Pre-admission and admission

Prior to IUMS, admission forms were being filled manually. There was no way of knowing how many seats were offered, how many students had applied, etc. Students were required to physically visit every college to check their name in the merit list. The situation was difficult for GGU and students alike. But with modules pertaining to each step of the student lifecycle in place, the University could conduct admissions in accordance with its rules for the very first time. The process of admissions became easier for students as well. They could also submit their fees online and enrol in colleges according to criteria set by GGU.

Finance and Administration

Back office operations underwent a complete revamp. Prior to IUMS, employees were required to submit their salary slips physically, which would then be manually recorded and payments made at a subsequent date. After IUMS, the entire payroll and accounts were automated. Proper books of accounts were now being maintained and integrated with payroll. The duplication of effort required in recording each financial transaction was removed. Budgeting was easier, which made planning and forecasting easier. All in all, operationally, GGU was on a very sound footing.

Expedien also provided GGU with servers for additional capability. This completed the technological upgrade needed by the University.

Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural University (SDAU) is a prominent University in Gujarat devoted to Agriculture, Veterinary Sciences, Dairy Sciences, Food Technology and Horticulture. Formerly a part of the erstwhile Gujarat Agriculture University, the University is primarily focused on Research and Development in the above fields.

We take great pride in the fact that SDAU was the first Institute of Higher Education to have implemented our ground breaking IUMS technology, in 2008. It continues to enjoy its benefits to the present day and serves as a model for the difference automation can create in Higher Education.

The Problems

Like all Universities, SDAU was divided in different colleges and various other departments such as the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Agricultural Research Station and other ancillary departments like the Library, Guesthouse, Extension Office. Each department was being headed by a separate unit with the Disbursement and Drawing Officer (DDO) at the helm. Each department was a separate entity following its own process and work flows. There was no centralized database, as a result, data collection for report generation became an arduous task.

Employee information was distributed across departments. Each department kept records of its own employees, making report generation at the University level an uphill task. The process involved collecting data from the DDOs, collating it etc. The DDOs were incharge of maintaining all employee information, like salary details, transfers, promotions, disciplinary action etc.

The Solution

IUMS came to the rescue. The first problem was resolved by the creation of a centralized data base. This was available on a common server where data for each unit was stored separately but at a single location. Data now became easily accessible from any place, anytime. Security was also maintained and chances of data loss were removed. Now, all the data related to employees was available at the click of a button which made life a lot easier. SDAU was also able to analyse the data and improve its decision making process.

Benefits to Payroll

Prior to IUMS, there was part automation at every unit which maintained a separate data base for the purpose of Payroll. At times, units would be geographically far removed, so even if they were following a single process for payroll, the software had to be loaded at these individual locations which greatly added to the concerns of the University. It was a time consuming process, involving costs and chances of data loss were extremely high due to systems crashing.

Once IUMS was installed; data became centrally available on a single server. All payroll processes were streamlined. The Service Book was also automated and employee movement could be tracked at various stages, like transfers, promotions etc. With the old software, the salary structure was fixed and making changes was therefore difficult. IUMS brought in a dynamic salary structure. This allowed the University to implement the requirements of the Sixth Pay Commission, which necessitated making lots of changes to the salary structure, with ease. The same flexibility was afforded to other processes, like increments, promotions and transfers etc. Data duplication was also removed.

Benefits to Research

SDAU being a University devoted to the field of Agricultural Research, a lot of focus went into collecting data on Agrometeorology. This includes exact readings on humidity, rainfall, temperature (maximum and minimum), and other very specialized data on soil temperature, soil depth, cloud cover, minimum temperature of grass etc. This data had to be collected for the entire State of Gujarat and from remote locations. Once again, this task was entrusted to different units from where data collection was a tedious process. With automation, this process became very easy and relieved the University of a great deal of trouble.

Benefits to Accounting

IUMS brought speed and accuracy to the Finance Department when Accounting was fully automated. Prior to this, accounts were in the hands of individual DDOs who maintained the books. These DDOs had the additional task of sending all bills to the Treasury for approval. The Treasury had the added responsibility of receiving and disbursing funds from the Comptroller of Accounts. There was a lot of duplication of work, with books having to be maintained at the DDO level and the Treasury level as well.

With the implementation of IUMS, all accounting procedures were transferred to the Treasury, which provided the much needed relief to the DDOs. It also brought efficiency in the system. For the Treasury, with the removal of all manual work, managing grants became a lot easier.

SDAU is a shining example of how an Institute of Higher Education can leverage technology across a range of functions. We laud the University for having the foresight and the desire to upgrade its systems and contributing to education, as a result. This has not only helped the University, but it is our strong belief that by partnering with technology, SDAU has set an example of what can be achieved when tradition is married with technology.