Core ICT terminology, the basics of the internet and its services, and the ways digital technology is reshaping higher education and governance.
“ICT did not just add a new tool to the classroom — it moved the classroom’s walls.”
01
ICT: General Abbreviations and Terminology
Term
Expansion
ICT
Information and Communication Technology
LAN / MAN / WAN
Local / Metropolitan / Wide Area Network
ISP
Internet Service Provider
URL / HTTP / FTP
Uniform Resource Locator / HyperText Transfer Protocol / File Transfer Protocol
LMS
Learning Management System
MOOC
Massive Open Online Course
02
Basics of Internet, Intranet, E-mail, Audio and Video Conferencing
Internet — a global network of interconnected networks, publicly accessible.
Intranet — a private network, restricted to an organisation, built on the same protocols as the internet.
E-mail — asynchronous exchange of digital messages over a network.
Audio/video conferencing — real-time synchronous communication between two or more locations, foundational to online teaching and webinars.
03
Digital Initiatives in Higher Education
Initiative
Focus
SWAYAM
National MOOC platform for school to PG-level courses
SWAYAM PRABHA
DTH educational television channels
NPTEL
Engineering and science video/e-content by IITs/IISc
e-PG Pathshala
UGC e-content for postgraduate courses across disciplines
National Digital Library of India (NDLI)
Single-window access to academic content across levels and languages
DIKSHA
National platform for school education content
04
ICT and Governance
E-governance uses ICT to deliver government services, information, and grievance redress efficiently and transparently — from online application portals to Direct Benefit Transfer and digital identity systems — reducing paperwork and improving accountability, while also raising concerns about the digital divide and data security.
LAN/MAN/WANSWAYAMNDLIe-Governance
Notes prepared for UGC-NET/SET Paper I revision, structured to the UGC syllabus (Code No. 00) and cross-checked against standard reference material for accuracy. Rephrase and verify against the latest UGC notification before the exam.