By Arjit Bhargava,
Digital documentation is redefining how work is done across different sectors at a faster pace than ever. Propelled by the pandemic, more and more enterprises are taking the digital route to transform their tiresome paper-based processes.While the pharmaceutical sector is digitalising drug development process, the hospitals are digitalising discharge summary of patients, helping both doctors and patients.But there’s another sector that can turn out to be the biggest beneficiary of smart document solution – Education, which is the backbone for any economy to flourish.
Post the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the way we are taught has changed drastically. Classroom learning and examinations presided by invigilators have been replaced with online classes and digital assignments. When a school or a college goes for smart documentation solutions, it helps them manage document transaction and coordination among faculty, staff and students in a seamless manner. Going paperless gives teachers an easy access to a huge bank of data for setting assessments. Technology is also in place wherein they can check the assessments using laptops and smartphones. Students, on the other hand, get access to a sea of User Generated Content.
Going for a smart document solution would further result in the streamlining of the process of admission, right from registration to enrolment. There is not just less manpower consumed, it is a huge saving on the expenditure as well.The institutions can also streamline counselling sessions and other similar activities.
Since most educational institutions in India are Trusts, they have to deal with a unique challenge of getting multiple documents approved and signed by the board. Since most of the board members are located across the world, it leads to unnecessary delays. Going digital helps these institutes become more nimble in the current ever-changing environment. This conventional process is even more cumbersome when it comes to colleges conducting an event or launching a programme.Besides board, these agreements require signatures at different stages from corporates as well as other national or international institutions. The agreements, including SOWs, NDAs, Security/Privacy agreements, etc, are signed using Electronic, Digital or Hybrid signatures for utmost security.
Getting the signatures and approvals for every purchase is also mandatory at educational institutions. The operations in this domain can be easily carried out using smart document solutions. All records can be stored in the repository for easy access and retrieval. There can also be automation of sales contracts for MDP and corporate sales.The process of signing and witnessing is also faster and traceable, leading to greater compliance with internal policies. Therefore, administrative overheads can be drastically reduced.
Safe storage and easy archival access through digital documentation can be one of the biggest boons for the educational institutions. All the aforementioned documents and processes require storage with smart categorization, and this can be enabled through smart document solutions. The legal documents electronically signed with students can also be stored safely in a cloud-based repository.
The process is non-intrusive and easily fits the way the education industry works. There would be less time spent on managing paper, leading to higher productivity and more time to study, experiment or research.One of India’s most prestigious institutions, BITS Pilani (WILP Division), recently made its processes paperless and much more efficient using our solution, adding a new smart dimension to their overall functioning. The Indian education sector on the whole is gradually realising the might of smart documentation and eSignature solutions.
(The author is VP – Global business development, MSB Docs. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the Financial Express Online.)
