The Tamil Nadu government is set to revamp over 500 of its websites, many of which have remained inactive and outdated. The state-owned Tamil Nadu e-Governance Agency (TNeGA) has been tasked with conducting a comprehensive functional audit to assess the status and user-friendliness of these websites.
An anonymous senior official from TNeGA explained that the decision to conduct this audit was prompted by concerns about outdated information on many government websites that haven`t been updated for years. Currently, only a little over 50 websites are considered highly active and user-friendly.
The objective is to introduce a standardized framework for Tamil Nadu government websites and ensure a seamless and user-friendly digital experience for citizens. To achieve this, TNeGA plans to hire an agency to undertake the audit. This agency will create a standardized framework that aligns with best practices in website design, accessibility, and user experience, following Union government website guidelines.
The comprehensive audit will assess the current state of all 500+ government websites, identifying issues and documenting their strengths and weaknesses. Accessibility features will be integrated, including alternative text for images, keyboard navigation, and proper labeling of form elements to ensure compatibility with assistive technologies.
Furthermore, the websites will be equipped with support for payment gateways, SMS gateways, social media integration, archival and retrieval mechanisms, and links to other government departments. They will also feature dashboards, user and visitor statistics, customizable pages, sitemap generators, compatibility with various databases, and support for multilingual content.