Information Technology (IT) has revolutionsied the world in the fields of healthcare, education,

entertainment, etc. IT is an integrated technology which integrates the software and hardware. With the
technical advancement of the hardware, the software has improved and vice versa. India is forging
ahead to make itself an IT superpower. It is emerging as a major hub for software development and e-
commerce. A number of institutes offer courses in advanced computer computer education. The
importance of the Internet has been recognised. The government of India has made its public services
available online. Information Technology is prome to abuse. A farsighted government would enable India
to become an IT superpower.
The electronic media has ushered in a revolution-- the information Technology(IT) revolution. It has
shrunk the world to such an extent that it would be called a 'global village'. No achievement of science
has brought about such a transformation as IT has. It has opened up an infinite number of new avenues
in the fields of healthcare, education, entertainment, communication, commerce and agriculture.

Information Technology is an integrated technology which integrates computer, magnetic storage media,
television, telecommunication, industries and various types of software to operate all these. The
computer age us our new reality. The computer has revolutionised every sphere of our life. Computers
are used in schools and colleges, hospitals, transport and communication sector, banking and finance,
etc. Computers have taken up key roles in all fields of activity including agriculture, weather forecast,
scientific research, designing, banking and financial institutions, space research and technology,
communication and media, medicine, aviation, railways, traffic control, language learning, literature and
entertainment.

The software technology has seen a spurt of devlopment and firms like Apple, Goggle and Microsoft
have estabilished themselves as market leaders, efficiently and accurately. Software in tanden with
hardware acts as the medium through which communication and dissemination of information and
carried out.

India is forgoing ahead to become a software superpower. A National Task Force on information
Technology and Software Development was formed in May, 1998. This task force recognised the
potential of IT and recommended a few reforms which would allow India to Join the information
superhighway. It recommended the transformation of every STD/ISD booth in the counry into an
'information kiosk'. This would enable every citizen to have access to information when provided with an
Internet connection and e-mail facility. The task force also recognised the need to switch over to local
languages. Microsoft has launched its software packages in most of the major Indian languages. The task
force also recognised the need to switch over to local languages. Microsoft has launched its software
packages in most of the major Indian languages. Microsoft has launched its software packages in most of
the major Indian languages. The task force also recognised the need to switch over to local languages.
Microsoft has launched its software packages in most of the major Indian languages. The task force also
suggested the need to computerise all the Central and state government departments and make the
staff in these departments computer-literate.

Indian cities like Hydrabad, Bengaluru and Gurgaon are turning out to be the hubs of global software
devlopment. All the major global players in this field have set up their offices in these cities. The Indian
software exports run into billions of dollars.

The Andhra Pradesh government pioneered an ambitious programme of e-governance to make the
government transparent and accountable. The Government of India, today, through its National e-
Governance plan (NeGP) makes available all its basic services to the common man. The NeGP is a multi-
stakeholder programme which primarily focuses on making critical public services available and
promoting rural entepreneurship. The objective of NeGP is to tranform traditional processes and service
delivery mechanisms and create an environment that is citizen-centric, while making interaction with the
Government easier, effective and transparent.
Recognising the need for computer literacy in India, efforts are on to provide computer education in all
the schools. This also includes schools in rural areas. Internet, Intranet and Extranet are being evolved to
carry mail, augment finance and banking, and facilitate other multimedia communications at minimal
cost. Many institutes have come up across India which offers courses in various software applications.
Some have global tie-ups with IT giants abroad, e.g., NIIT with Microsoft and Jetking with ICS learning
systems, which is the world leader in distance education. APTECH has a tie-up with Indira Gandhi
National Open University (IGNOU) to provide computer education to the candidates and award the
degree of BCA.

The interconnections of computers worldwide, i.e. the Internet, has revolutionsed the concept as well as
the conduct of business. Visual and audio access to offices worldwide through the network has given rise
to virtual offices. One can have easy access to information via the Internet. With the click of a Mouse, a
person can browse through a multitude of sights available on the Internet. Internet surfing has become
one of the latest passions of the Indian youth. Multimedia has contributed to making it more colourful,
true-to-life and exciting. Most of the newspapers have Internet editions which can be accessed by a large
number of readers. The All India Radio made it news broadcasts more accessible, when it went live on
the Internet on February 25, 1998.