Which of these companies is established by Government of Rajasthan with the aim to regulate developing needs of Information Technology skills in 21st century ?
- (1)Rajasthan Knowledge Company Ltd.
- (2)Rajasthan Technology Pvt. Ltd.
- (3)Rajasthan Knowledge Corporation Ltd.
- (4)Rajasthan Technology Corporation Ltd.
Answer
Why
Correct — option (3), Rajasthan Knowledge Corporation Ltd.
Rajasthan Knowledge Corporation Limited (RKCL) works on IT skills in Rajasthan. Its website says it was incorporated on 25 April 2008 under the Companies Act, 1956, to promote and enhance digital literacy in Rajasthan.
RKCL's About page, as archived in June 2023, gives the company's main objective as developing "a new educational framework which can plan, implement, supervise and regulate the developing needs for IT skills in the 21st century in the State of Rajasthan".
RKCL describes itself as a Public Limited Company established as a joint venture of the Government of Rajasthan with Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Limited (MKCL), Pune, and other partners: University of Rajasthan, MPUAT Udaipur, VMOU Kota, RajComp Info Services Ltd. and Centre for e-Governance.
The two descriptions are worded differently. The stem calls it a company established by the Government of Rajasthan; RKCL's own website calls it a joint venture in which the Government of Rajasthan is one of several partners. The same About page puts the Government of Rajasthan's equity at 30%.
The Government of Rajasthan's Economic Review 2022-23 says RKCL has been set up in the State with an aim to provide IT education in remote rural areas, bridging the digital divide. It adds that RKCL's RS-CIT training programme has been approved by the State government.
So the company is Rajasthan Knowledge Corporation Ltd.
The idea to remember: RKCL = Rajasthan Knowledge Corporation Limited, incorporated in 2008 and known for the RS-CIT course; "Knowledge" and "Corporation" are both in the name.
Why the others are wrong
- (1)Rajasthan Knowledge Company Ltd. — This keeps "Knowledge" but replaces "Corporation" with "Company". The name under which RKCL was incorporated is Rajasthan Knowledge Corporation Limited.
"Corporation" is also in the name of Maharashtra Knowledge Corporation Limited (MKCL), Pune, which RKCL names among its joint-venture partners.
- (2)Rajasthan Technology Pvt. Ltd. — This changes two things. "Knowledge" becomes "Technology", and "Pvt. Ltd." marks a private limited company.
RKCL describes itself as a Public Limited Company, and its company identification number, U80302RJ2008PLC026433, carries the PLC marking of a public limited company incorporated in Rajasthan in 2008.
- (4)Rajasthan Technology Corporation Ltd. — This keeps "Corporation Ltd." but swaps "Knowledge" for "Technology", so it does not match RKCL's name.
Another State IT company named in the Economic Review 2022-23 is RajComp Info Services Limited (RISL), which holds a licence to operate as a Certifying Authority under Section 24 of the IT Act, 2000, for Raj eSign.
Concept
Digital literacy means being able to use computers and the internet for everyday tasks. In Rajasthan, RKCL offers it through the RS-CIT (Rajasthan State Certificate in IT) course.
RKCL describes its model as a franchise network of IT Gyan Kendras across the State delivering the Government-recognised RS-CIT course, with network and learning management run through its own portals such as MYRKCL and iLearn.
The State links the course to its own workforce. The Economic Review 2022-23 records the Government's decision to reimburse fees to government personnel who complete MCA, BCA or RKCL certificate courses in IT.
RPSC's 2023 syllabus lists "Computers, Information and Communication Technology." and "Development of Science and Technology with special reference to Rajasthan." under Science & Technology. RKCL is where the two meet.
The Economic Review 2022-23 reports that about 6,447 Gyan Kendras had been opened, in which about 64.55 lakh trainees had been trained.
RKCL sits within a wider State IT set-up described in the same Review: e-Mitra, launched in 2002, with more than 80,000 kiosks; Raj eSign, for which RajComp Info Services Limited holds the Certifying Authority licence; and the Bhamashah State Data Centre.
Key facts
- Rajasthan Knowledge Corporation Limited (RKCL) was incorporated on 25 April 2008 under the Companies Act, 1956.
- RKCL describes itself as a public limited company and a joint venture of the Government of Rajasthan with MKCL, Pune, and other institutions.
- The Economic Review 2022-23 says RKCL's RS-CIT training programme has been approved by the Government of Rajasthan.
- Economic Review 2022-23: about 6,447 Gyan Kendras opened and about 64.55 lakh trainees trained through RKCL.
- RajComp Info Services Limited (RISL) holds a licence as a Certifying Authority under Section 24 of the IT Act, 2000 (Economic Review 2022-23).
Sources: RKCL website; Government of Rajasthan, Economic Review 2022-23.
Study next
Common traps
- The four names differ by one or two words. RKCL needs both "Knowledge" and "Corporation".
- RKCL is a public limited company, so a name ending "Pvt. Ltd." cannot be it.
- RKCL (IT training through RS-CIT) and RISL (RajComp Info Services Limited, licensed as Certifying Authority for Raj eSign) are different State IT companies.
A question can give near-identical company names and ask which one the State set up for IT skills, as this one does.
A question can also ask which body runs a course such as RS-CIT, the year a body was incorporated, or which company runs a State e-governance service.
Related PYQs
Which of the following has been formed in place of Chief Minister’s Rajasthan Economic Transformation Advisory Council (CMRETAC) ?
- (1) Rajasthan Skill and Livelihoods Development Corporation (RSLDC)
- (2) Rajasthan Institute for Transformation and Innovation (RITI)
- (3) Rajasthan Centre of Advanced Technology (R-CAT)
- (4) Rajasthan Grameen Aajeevika Vikas Parishad (RAJEEVIKA)
Answer(2)
Same field of Rajasthan's institutional set-up. That question asks what was formed in place of the Chief Minister's Rajasthan Economic Transformation Advisory Council (RPSC's key: Rajasthan Institute for Transformation and Innovation (RITI)); this one asks which company the State set up for IT skills.
Practice
- practice — not a real PYQ
The RS-CIT training programme, approved by the Government of Rajasthan, is run by :
- (a)RajComp Info Services Limited
- (b)Rajasthan Knowledge Corporation Limited
- (c)Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation Limited
- (d)Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation
Answer(2) — The Economic Review 2022-23 calls RS-CIT RKCL's training programme. RajComp Info Services Limited holds the Certifying Authority licence behind Raj eSign, and options (3) and (4) are energy and industrial bodies, so options (1), (3) and (4) are wrong. - practice — not a real PYQ
According to the Economic Review 2022-23, RajComp Info Services Limited (RISL) has obtained a licence to operate as a Certifying Authority as per which section of the Information Technology Act, 2000?
- (a)Section 24
- (b)Section 43
- (c)Section 66
- (d)Section 79
Answer(1) — The Review states that RISL obtained the licence to operate as a Certifying Authority as per Section 24 of the IT Act, 2000. Options (2), (3) and (4) are not the section the Review cites for this licence.