Sandes App

Why in news?

• The National Informatics Centre has launched an instant messaging platform called Sandes on the lines of WhatsApp.

About Sandes App:

• The app could be used by both central and state government officials “for intra and inter-organisation communication but has been made open to public as well.
• The app was initially launched for Android users and then the service was extended to iOS users.
• NIC released the first version of the app in August.
• 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.
• Open initially only to government officers, it has now been released for the common public as well.

What is different in the new app developed by NIC?

• The instant messaging app, called Sandes, has an interface similar to many other apps currently available in the market.
• Although there is no option to transfer the chat history between two platforms, the chats on government instant messaging systems or GIMS can be backed up to a users’ email.
• GIMS, like other instant messaging apps in the market, uses a valid mobile number or email id to register the user for the first time. It also offers features such as group making, broadcast message, message forwarding and emojis.
• Further, 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. The confidential tag, however, does not change the way the message is sent from one user to another.
• The limitation, however, is that the app does not allow the user to change their email id or registered phone number. The user will have to re-register as a new user in case they wish to change their registered email id or phone number on the app.

PRELIMS QUESTION

Consider the following statements regarding National Informatics Centre (NIC):
1.It provides cloud computing services under the name “Meghraj”.
2.National Knowledge Network (NKN) which connects more than 1500 institutes is being implemented by NIC.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 only
(b)2 only
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to Prelims Question