Sandes
- February 16, 2021
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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Sandes
Subject: Science and Technology
Context: National Informatics Centre (NIC) has launched an instant messaging app on the lines of WhatsApp.
Concept:
- The launch of the app is also a part of the government strategy to push for use of India-made software so as to build an ecosystem of indigenously developed products.
- In August 2020, the NIC released the first version of the app, which said that the app could be used by both central and state government officials “for intra and inter-organization communication.
- Open initially only to government officers, it has now been released for the common public as well.
- The need of app was felt in Post-Covid scenario for secure communication as more and more people worked from home.
- It has interface similar to available messaging apps.
- The chats on government instant messaging systems or GIMS can be backed up to a users’ email (right now it doesn’t have to transfer chat history between two platfprms)
- It needs a valid mobile number or email id for registration and has features such as group making, broadcast message, message forwarding and emojis.
- As an additional safety feature, it allows a user to mark a message as confidential, which, the app’s description says, will allow the recipient to be made aware the message should not be shared with others.
- Current limitation is app does not allow the user to change their email id or registered phone number.