presented by:
Partha Sarathi Bhattacharjee

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The world is fast moving from a stage where steel and miles of railways were important, to a stage where, the size and complexity of information and communication systems will be the barometer of a country’s development. No country or individual can continue to afford to remain in isolation and ignore rapid developments in the field of information and communication technology. This so called “Information Society” has its genesis in the post industrial area.
Several thinkers have from times immemorial expressed the view that knowledge is power and the key to successful development. It is an important input or basic resource and page link between a variety of activities , intellectual and material , in the society. Access to the right information at the right time in a convenient form can trigger new directions in research , development and managerial actions.
A widely accepted fact today is that input in modern production systems is no longer confined to land, labour and capital only. It is also includes information . “Information and communication” are without doubt two key words and any activity or human relationship involves a process of communication. The scientific study of the communication and information are intrinsic to the practice of science. Research , simulated often by new information ,is sustained by the continuing flow of information and , when completed , again yields new information . Scientists not only collect , store , retrieve and use information , but also create it through research. But this applies now to all successful enterprises including business , trade and commerce.
Tripura is a hilly state with various natural resources . Along with natural resources , there are much of human resources .The human resources may be utilized in different ways. One of the utilization process is the implementation of Information Technology sectors. The goal of creating an IT - conscious and IT - driven government and society cannot be achieved without building competencies in human resource development. This is more required because of the existing levels of IT education in Tripura, inside and outside Agartala. The State government will therefore give top priority to the accomplishment of this objective of IT Policy and place emphasis on development of IT educational facilities in district HQs sub-divisional towns as well as TTAADC areas for implementing IT educations and IT consciousness of tribal youths also.
In order to achieve the Human Resource Development, the following policy initiatives will be taken:-
1. A module on IT would be made integral to all degree courses of Tripura University and other institutions. The curriculum of existing computer courses would also be re-structured to suit the present day requirements of IT employers. Tripura University has already started different under graduate degree, diploma and post graduate degree courses like DCA ,BCA , MCA and some engineering under graduate degree and post graduate courses like B.E and M. Tech in Computer Science & Engineering in the field of Information Technology . The enrolment of tribal students in M. Tech in Computer Science programme under Tripura University in this year is 12.5 %. Some of the courses like B.Sc. in Computer Science , BCA & DCA are running in some govt. colleges as well as private colleges in different parts of Tripura by which tribal candidates can easily get admission to those job oriented non conventional courses with a very minimum course fee with home facility . The enrolment of tribal students in Tripura University at DCA and BCA programmes in this year is 28% and 11 % respectively. The Tripura Government has set up a engineering college named Tripura Institute of Technology, at Narsingarh, Agartala runs different B.E degree courses .They have already started B.E. in Computer Science & Engineering programme. There is a special reservation facility for ST candidates.
2. National Institute of Technology, Agartala and Tripura Polytechnic on the ERNET (education network) or RENIC (Research and Educational NIC network) so as to facilitate better communication between the educational institutions within Tripura and outside Tripura. NIT, Agartala has a separate department of Computer Science & Engineering runs under graduate degree course like B. Tech in Computer Science & Engineering and PG level courses like M. Tech in Computer Science & Engineering and MCA which are very much appreciable in the job world. There is a reservation category for tribal candidates in national level for National Institute of technology.
There are three Polytechnic Institutes at Tripura which run Diploma in computer science & engineering and Diploma in Information Technology, and there is a reservation category for admission to tribal candidates for the Institutes who are domicile in Tripura.
3. There are some Govt. of India organizations like Electronics Test and Development Centre , Agartala and RIELIT , Agartala under Ministry of Information and Communication Technology, Govt. of India run some job oriented computer programmes like DOEACC ‘O’ Level , ‘A” Level which are valuable in the job market through out India. They conduct some IT training programmes for tribal entrepreneurs for developing self employment in the state.
4. Encouragement to IT training institutions being set up privately in the State, with special emphasis on the district HQs and sub-divisional towns. Efforts will also be made to put into place a mechanism for these training institutions to check sub-standard institutes from proliferating.
5. Special IT Courses (with provision for stipends) will be started for backward classes of citizens.
6. The State Government would identify institutes of excellence as partner institutions and involve them in increasing use of IT in educational institutions.
7. Private parties shall be encouraged to set up Internet cafes in colleges and University. Space may be provided free by the institution but computer hardware and software would have to be installed by the party concerned.
8. Educated tribal youths will be encouraged to set up Public tele-information centres (PTICs) on the lines of PCOs and they may be provided assistance under existing Self - employment schemes, like PMRY. These PTICs will provide Internet access on payment to any person.
9. IGNOU has launched different job oriented computer degree and certificate programmes like MCA, BCA and certificate courses in IT at different remote areas of Tripura . These programmes are very much appreciable in the job markets of Tripura as well as through out India and abroad also. There is a provision of reimbursement of programme fees of backward class learners like ST, SC and OBC candidates of IGNOU which is provided by the Higher Education Dept., the Govt. of Tripura. The enrolment of tribal learners for MCA and BCA programmes under IGNOU is increasing very fast.
10. IGNOU has launched a computer literacy programme (CLP) in different block CICs. The course is designed for basic computer knowledge including internet for rural tribal youths. They can get detailed information about cultivations etc through internet facility and they can communicate with outside world very easily and quickly.
11. Besides NIT, Agartala, there are some private organizations like Bhavan’s Tripura College of Science & Technology , ICFAI University have started different job oriented diploma , undergraduate and post graduate computer programmes which are very much acceptable in govt as well as private sectors. The enrolment of tribal learners for BCA & MCA programmes under ICFAI University is going very high .
Bhavan’s Tripura College of Science & Technology has started a new programme named B.Sc. in Information Technology from last year under Tripura University. The development of such private Institutions for implementing higher education in the field of Information and communication Technology will be very much streamline and fruitful if our Govt. takes some steps with implementing some rules and regulations for developing their infrastructure and providing other facilities specially for tribal candidates .
As envisaged in National IT Action Plan, the Government of India proposes to launch three schemes - Vidyarthi computer scheme, Shikshak computer Scheme and School computer scheme - to enable students, teachers and schools respectively to purchase computers under attractive financial packages. The State government will adopt this scheme and encourage its wide implementation.