Campus Wide Information System (CWIS) - an introduction

The first phase of the University Campus Wide Information System (CWIS) Networking has been inaugurated by Prof. Arun Nigavekar, Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), on November 15, 2002. State-of-the-art infrastructure based on evolutionary Gigabit Switched Ethernet technology has been installed in the university.

The Information Technology (IT) Infrastructure

At present all the seven faculties located in different buildings of the campus, libraries, labs, Majeedia hospital, the administrative block, International Student  Hostel, Scholar’s house and the residences of Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor are connected through 6 core 1000 Mbps Optical Fiber Cables. The total length of optical fiber cables and UTP cables used are 10 km. and 45 km. respectively.  1500 information/ outlet (I/O) points have been provided in various buildings throughout the campus. Approximately 700 PCs, 15 Servers of various make like: IBM, SUN, HP, 50 Switches, Cisco PIX firewalls  and 600 UPS of various capacity and configurations are installed throughout the campus. Access of IT facilities from the residences of teachers and senior non teaching staff, within campus has been made available using Cisco 3745 router, digital modems and EPABX.  All faculty members and officials have been provided e-mail accounts with 200 MB mailbox storage space implementing MS Exchange 2003 Front- End and Back-End servers. They are thus able to send, receive and share information. The mailboxes of the users are also operative from anywhere using Internet. This service is available since August 2002.

The university has set up 4 computer centres in various faculties. The largest computer centre is in the Department of Computer Science. It has 5 servers and about 150 computers that are all connected to each other through a Local Area Network. A new computer centre has been set up in the Faculty of Pharmacy with 65 computers. The Faculty of Nursing has recently acquired 20 PCs and a server. In the Pharmacy Practice Unit of Majeedia Hospital also, a computer lab has been set up with 5 client machines and a server. The Faculty of Science has a well-equipped computer lab with 25 computers and a server. In the Faculty of Unani Medicine also, a computer centre has been set up with 20 computers for use by the students and teachers of the Faculty. 

University has implemented Windows2003 Active Directory Services for entire Campus. University has brought network version of anti virus solution (Trend Micro) and deployed it in 2010. Using this software user may configure his/her PC for automatic update of anti virus software. User can also configure his/ her PC for auto detection and removal of viruses, centralized monitoring and automatic patches management and downloading of software . 

Under the “Infonet” programme, the University Grants Commission  (UGC) has provided 2 MBPS leased link Internet connectivity to Jamia Hamdard.  Under this UGC is providing equipments and 90% of total recurring cost per annum towards Internet connection.  This Infonet programme will provide a link between the UGC and various universities around the world in future. Its great advantage will be the availability of thousands of e-journals to the universities through sixteen mirror sites being established by the University Grants Commission.

Computerization

University Library

Hkm. Mohd. Said Library (University Central Library), having 1.5 lakh records, has been computerized in the month of September 2004 using Libsys library application software. The database of all the old and current books in English language and Urdu is up to date and database of English language books is also made available on Internet 24 hours. All functioning of library such as acquisition, cataloguing, circulation have been computerized. The bar-coded membership cards have been circulated among all the staff members as well as the students and now the users may get books issued from any check-out points located throughout the university.

Admission Process

Admission automation software is functioning since May 2004, successfully. The application forms are read by ICR (Intelligent Character Recognition) system and data is exported to admission software. Admission software generates lists of the applicants. This software can also create examination cards, attendance sheet etc. After the entrance test, the answer sheets are processed using OMR (Optical Mark Reader) technology.

Admission software again takes data from OMR and prepares merit lists of various courses. The candidates are then manually selected using this software. The selection lists and admission offer letter are generated by the system itself. These lists are made available to departments for making online admissions and the results are available on the Internet. Faculty members of different departments make the admission of qualified candidates and update admission database. Current status of admission database is being made available to the authorised officials of university at present. The software can also generate group reports of applied, selected and admitted candidates. 

Examination Process

Examination Module software for the Examination Branch was implemented in the Annual Examinations of 2003

Finance Section

Most of the functioning of Finance Branch has been computerized in April 2003 using Tally software. All accounting transaction are being done through this software.  Two more software, one for Pay Roll Package and one for TDS are also being used in Finance branch.

With a purpose of providing more security and integration with other software university has awarded work to M/s. Dynamic Software Solution (DSS), Chennai to develop a new Oracle based software package for Finance department.

Establishment Section

Establishment automation software started functioning in September 2004. This software takes care of all details regarding establishment department. Data of all employees containing personal detail, qualification, service detail, and departmental detail are entered. University employees at present are applying for leave and also view the application status on line. Recommending authority can recommend/ reject the leave and sanctioning authorities can sanction/ reject the leave on line. This software is generating various types of reports as and when required like: seniority list according to staff experience and qualification, retirement list etc.