Bangalore: Moving another step ahead in utilising the information technology in governance, Karnataka Government on Friday decided to make compulsory the computer working knowledge for its employees and offered Rs 5,000 annual incentive to those who learn the skill.
In order to motivate its employees to acquire computer knowledge, the government at its cabinet meeting held here decided to link the technology learning to their promotion and also annual increments. Those who would be recruited directly to government service hereafter shall have to pass an examination to prove that they have acquired knowledge in working on computers within three months of joining the service, Minister for Law S Suresh Kumar told reporters.
Those already serving but crossed 50-years of age would be exempted from this "mandatory computer learning", but for others a time limit of three years has been set, he said.
Those failing to qualify the exam to certify on computer skill learning within three years will be denied promotion and if they fail to get the qualification on completion of fourth year, they will loose their annual increment, he said. Certain category of employees such as Primary School teachers, police constables, nurses, drivers, forest watchers, excise guards, women and men working as health assistants and group "D" employees have been exempted from this mandatory computer learning, he said.
The computer learning has to be in Kannada, the administrative language of the state and also in English, Kumar said.
PTI