BENGALURU: To familiarise government employees with emerging technologies, the Karnataka government has revised the syllabus of the Computer Literacy Test, making artificial intelligence (AI) and cyber security key components. This is to ensure safer and more secure digital operations and to enable faster and more efficient functioning of government offices.
The test is conducted under the Karnataka Civil Services (Computer Literacy Test) Rules, 2012. The syllabus till now primarily focused on basic desktop computing skills, including Windows file management, MS Word (editing and formatting), MS Excel (spreadsheets and charts), PowerPoint presentations and internet usage, such as sending emails and browsing. That was to help transition government offices towards paperless administration.
The revised syllabus, which is available with The New Indian Express and issued on February 20, contains cyber security fundamentals and awareness. These include understanding computer viruses and their impact, detection and prevention methods, common cyber threats and mitigation strategies, cyber safety practices and social media etiquette.
The updated syllabus also includes artificial intelligence and generative AI, reflecting the growing relevance of these technologies in governance and administration.
The test is mandatory for all government employees in Groups A, B, and C, excluding drivers and attenders. The maximum marks is 100 and the test is for two hours that can be taken online. When the test was first conducted in 2017, over 2.2 lakh employees appeared, but many failed. They were allowed to take a retest.
A senior government official said, “As times change, there is a need to change and update ourselves. We are trying to equip our employees with the latest computer knowledge. Karnataka being the pioneer in IT, it is important for us to make it robust.”
The official said, “There have been instances where our websites were hacked. We have made our websites stronger with anti-hacking technologies. But hackers also update themselves with the latest technologies. There is always the fear of being hacked. We will make our employees aware of this, so that there are no mistakes.”