Gone are the days, when we used to take photocopy of an application form (or format), fill it with a pen, attach a printed photograph, enclose it in an envelop with required documents and send it by post… when we want to apply for a vacancy in Government/Private job in India. Now, things are much better, easier, relatively cheap and reliably fast. All credits to vast use of Computer and Internet. But the Digital India movement by Government of India need special credit for this development. Almost all or at least 50-70% of any recruitment process in India now involves digital platform. These process are not only centered around the Computers, rather it has become so easy that one can do everything using the mobile phones. This all we know and enjoy being part of this digital India movement directly or indirectly. However, out of uncountable vacancies and recruitment process occuring everyday in India, I wish to discuss here the online application process for teaching and/or non-teaching posts in academic institutions in India.
Okeyyy!
By now, there might be couple of questions in your mind such as…
What is the need of discussion on the recruitment process? Are the process followed by institutions not OK? Are you going to discuss about conventional merits/demerits of digital India movements?? And many more… So, to keep things clear and simple, I am not going to discuss any of these questions/topics. These questions might be of equal importance for discussion. But, I want to share my thoughts on moving one step a head on online application process in india and how to mak the process more efficient and easier.
So let’s discuss with an example here…
Assume, you saw an advertisement for a teaching position (e.g. Sub.- English; Position- Assistant Professor) in a University-A , you can easily fill all details as asked in each step of online application form, then verify, even you can pay the application fee and submit online sitting anywhere. Fine! Great!
Now just think, you saw another advertisement for same teaching position (e.g. Sub.- English; Position- Assistant Professor) in another University-B. There is 90% chance that University-B asking you to fill same things in their online application, because qualification for same subject and same rank is same in every institution (as per University Grants Commission, UGC norms).
So, if you wish to apply here in University-B too. You need to give all details again, fill the forms again and more than 90% possibility that you will encounter a different application format from the previous application you filled for University-A. Think about the time and effort you are giving to fill-up application for University-B. Now imagine all the time and effort it will take from you if you want to apply for more than 5 or 10 Universities!!!
You will become a data entry expert or clerk for sure 😃. And this is not something that you want in a digital world?? Seriously, not at least in digitalized India!! Then, what is the solution?
Yes! We/Ministry of HRD , Government of India/ UGC need to find a way to overcome this difficulty and use the best of digitalization/ technology.
What can be done (Raw idea):
1. Why can’t government take an initiative for making a standard recruitment platform for teaching positions and ask the applicants to fill and store his/her every essential details in a standard format. (Just like the way LinkedIn, ResearchGate , Academia.edu …etc user profile). Applicant can update and edit any time.
2. This platform does not necessarily be to public, it can be well protected by government (like digiLocker, Permanent Account Number Data, Driving License Data… etc)
3. Each applicant can be assigned with a user-name or a registered number. The applicant can directly share this & pay the application fee while applying for any position.
4. After successful submission of application fees with username or registered number, University authority can retrieve all the required information of the applicant from the government server.
5. This will make the application process much efficient regardless of the number of vacancy/number of University an applicant wish to apply.
This is a raw idea and can be improvised with further discussion. It is indeed, serious time consuming affair when you apply for a position in different Indian Universities/Institutions. Have you ever experienced this kind of problem?? Please don’t forget to share your thoughts in comment section. And share this to your colleagues and friend who you think can give some more inputs.
Thank you very much for your time and reading!
Cheers!
Prabodha
Acknowledgement: Dr. Aashish Soni Sir for his valuable views and support.
© Copyright: Dr. Prabodha Kumar Meher, 01, February 2020.
Dr. Prabodha Kumar Meher 
It was interesting Prabodha. Although I am not from India and maybe this subject will not be used by me, but your way of writing and explaining was interesting which persuaded me to read it! Perfect👏👏
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Nice idea sir… Also, if you could just login with that account to sign up at any site to autofill the application details. That would be less time consuming and the chances of errors during putting the details will be none.
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Hi Yasin, Thank you very much! Yes, auto-fill options in some web browsers are really helpful. Thanks!
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Hi Maryam, I am glad that you read and tried to understand a scenario currently we are facing in India. It is my pleasure to receive your kind words & feedback. Do visit my blog whenever you want to read some more. Danke Schoen!
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