Selection of Data Entry Operator for Biometric Voters Name List Collection Program
Since the software was developed in Unicode Nepali with Oracle in backend and .NET for frontend, they had to find sufficient number of skilled data entry operators who could enter data in Nepali language. At first it was thought if an announcement is made, there will be lot of candidates to compete. Gradually as scenario grown more clearer, they realize the insufficiency (almost unavailable) of manpower who could type comfortably in Nepali Unicode. Thus, at final moment they decided to accept those who know Non-Unicode typing (Preeti font) so that a few days training will make them familiar with Unicode.
It was more than disappointing fact revealed when about 10% of the candidates applied had typing speed 10 WPM where the general expectation was 35 – 40. Yesterday and the day before a test was given for five minutes where they need to type the prescribed text correctly. Out of two hundred candidates there are not even twenty people whom we can call skilled. The test still goes today, lets see if a few more can succeed the test.
Why is there the drainage of computer skilled manpower? We don’t have people who know how to enter data in Nepali? If it is so difficult to select even very low level skilled manpower, how would computerization of organization and e-Government implementation would succeed? Are all the skilled manpower drained to foreign employment? Or computer skilled people are immediately employed and new programs need to rely upon fresher?
I’d love to hear your views. By the way, let me inform you, if you can type in Nepali with average typing speed above 25 WPM, contact Kathmandu District Election Office at Babarmahal Kathmandu. Go there with citizenship certificate and take a test. If you succeed, you’ll be selected, easy! The test goes for today for this first round of program and they are hiring even more people very shortly for the next round.
7 Responses to “Selection of Data Entry Operator for Biometric Voters Name List Collection Program”
Mark Wilkinson on August 30, 2010
If there are no skilled people in this area, the problem has to be that there is a lack of training.
or that the pay rate is not high enough to attract the skilled labor. But training will solve that problem for you.
Suresh Khanal
Twitter: icttrends
on August 30, 2010
You are very right on suspecting the reasons. But the problem here in Nepal is the lack of skilled people who can type in Nepali. We can find lots who can type it in English. Regarding the pay rate, it is a Government task and nobody can cross the rate fixed by Government. By the way, the pay rate is not that low, it should be considered handsome compared to the qualification and skill level they are looking for.
messi on August 30, 2010
lets talk about the above topics in details
1) Preeti font
(why preeti font .. cause HLCIT has strickly said, romanised unicode to be used, and to learn that unicode is not hard)
( who will come to enter the data in nepali, if the payment is very low and your job is not permanent, one form submission is 2-3 rs, the people who come to enter the data will learn few things only)
2) Why is there the drainage of computer skilled manpower?
(do we need skilled manpower for the data enter program, you can pick bunch of 4th 5th grades to data enter, — total mis-use of man power)
3) If it is so difficult to select even very low level skilled manpower, how would computerization of organization and e-Government implementation would succeed?
(perhaps my above statement already stated that, and about e-Governance … there are plenty of man powers, if you don't believe look at some of the nepalese company like pumori, yomari, f1soft … and there are plenty of International IT companies in Nepal, who sell millions of dollars of softwares aborad … and D2Hawakeye and Javra is one of the two International company who uses nepali manpower to develop softwares … and if you are ignorant of it, then its your problem not seeing the truth)
Suresh Khanal
Twitter: icttrends
on August 30, 2010
I’m honestly happy with your comment. And I’m afraid if I could not clarify in that short post.
1. Preeti font
As it is already mentioned in the post that they are hiring people who can type in Preeti (Non Unicode) font because its very difficult to collect considerable number of candidates with that skill. They planned to recruit people who know typing Preeti so that they can be trained to use Unicode with Traditional keyboard layout in a week training.
Did HLCIT standardized Romanized Unicode? Its completely out of my knowledge. And if it is so, what can be more of misfortune?
2. With the pharse ‘skilled manpower’, I did not mean university graduates in Computer Science/IT/CA etc. I just meant to be sufficiently skilled to type in Nepali script. I believe you’ll agree that almost all of our college graduates fly to foreign in a quest to their career.
3. I’m more concerned of implementing e-Government or computerization of organization. I don’t question on the area ‘whether we are capable of developing a system or not’. I’m more worried with the fact, ‘Can we implement it?’ There are certainly great genuis and talented people who have developed some magnificient world class piece of gem. But the people who need to be involved operating it, can we find sufficient manpower? I have my next post with a story of magnificient failure of similar system.
messi on August 30, 2010
1) Did HLCIT standardized Romanized Unicode? Its completely out of my knowledge. And if it is so, what can be more of misfortune?
why misfortune? its good to use the unicode system
2) about students going abroad?
how many go abroad? .. were they all good students.
they may be good in marks not in field, that's why they go away.
(f1 soft, bunch of comp. eng., working brilliant, sms banking system and e-sewa , more than 30 computer professionals work there)
3)about e-governance.
if you start looking for perfect then every body lacks something in life .. does that mean that we shouldn't exists
e-governance should be started a long time ago ..
Suresh Khanal
Twitter: icttrends
on August 31, 2010
I appreciate your concern and good intention.
1. It not only good but a compulsion to use Unicode system in the days to come if we really want to implement computers for our walks of life. No doubt. I just hate Romanized Unicode. The philosophy itself behind it is wrong.
2. We already agreed upon the fact and I don’t need to clarify anything further. You’ll realize every time when you start working. Publish and Ad and sit for giving interview and tests to disappoint yourself.
3. We had to start e-Government long ago, I agree. But wish these government officers retire sooner.
It was really nice chatting with you. You’ll certainly do a good job!
hemen parekh on February 18, 2011
Where is the skilled manpower ?
Skills Commission of Government of India estimates following requirements of “ skilled ‘ professionals during 2010-2015 :
Information Technology …………………. 3.2 Million
Retail ……………………………………………….. 17.3 Million
Banking ……………………………………………. 4.25 Million
Tourism ……………………………………………. 3.6 Million
Food Processing ………………………………. 9.2 Million
Warehousing ……………………………………. 25.0 Million
Total …………………. 62.55 Million
With a net increase in India’s population of 22 Million every year, one would think, there should be no problem in finding more than enough people to fill these vacancies.
Till you find out that no more than 1 million people get any kind of “ Vocational Training “ each year !
Unfortunately, those 1.67 million B.A / B.Sc / B.com graduates that our colleges churn out every year, are simply unfit to fill these vacancies !
With regards
hemen parekh
Jobs for All = Peace on Earth