Applications of IT in science and engineering, banking, insurance, marketing, health care

Hello students, welcome to Kwickprep. How does a rocket reach the Moon, or a doctor in a city treat a patient in a village? The answer is information technology. Today we will see how IT is used in five big fields. They are science and engineering, banking, insurance, marketing and health care.

First, let us recall three simple words. Information technology, or IT, means using computers, phones and networks to store, process and share data. Data means raw facts, like marks, prices or a blood pressure reading. Information is data arranged so that it has meaning, like a report card.

Let us begin with science and engineering. Engineers use CAD, which means computer aided design, to draw buildings, cars and bridges on a computer. A simulation means testing a design on the computer before building it, which saves money and keeps people safe. Weather departments use very powerful computers, called supercomputers, to forecast rain and cyclones. Space agencies like ISRO plan and control rockets and satellites using computers.

IT helps scientists in other ways too. Scientists record lab results and analyse huge amounts of data quickly. In factories, robots controlled by computers do risky or repeated work, like welding car parts. Sensors are small devices that measure things, and they check the health of dams, bridges and machines.

Next, banking. Core banking means all branches of a bank share one central computer system, so your account works in any branch. ATMs, or automated teller machines, give cash at any time of day. Net banking and mobile banking apps let you check your balance and pay bills from home. UPI, the Unified Payments Interface, lets you send money instantly by scanning a QR code.

IT also makes banking safe, but you must help. An OTP is a one time password that the bank sends to your phone to confirm a payment. Never share your OTP, PIN or password with anyone, not even someone who says they are from the bank. Bank computers also watch for unusual transactions and can block a card quickly.

Now, insurance. Insurance means you pay a small amount regularly, called a premium. In return, the company gives you money after a loss, like an accident or illness. Today people buy and renew policies online in a few minutes. Online premium calculators show the price instantly when you enter details like age and vehicle. People file a claim, which is a request for money after a loss, and track it on an app.

Insurance companies use IT inside the office as well. They store the records of millions of customers safely in databases. Computers check claims and help catch fake ones. They also send renewal reminders by SMS and e-mail, so a policy does not stop by mistake.

Next, marketing. Marketing means telling people about a product and persuading them to buy it. Companies show ads on social media, video sites and search engines, and this is called digital marketing. They send offers by e-mail and SMS, like a festival sale message. They also study data about what customers buy, so they can plan better offers.

Let us compare the old way with the IT way. Earlier, a shop put an ad in the newspaper, and now it also posts ads on social media. A printed pamphlet has become an e-mail or SMS offer. Earlier you had to visit the shop, and now there is an online store too. Earlier, shops guessed what people liked, companies now study sales data.

Now, health care, where IT saves lives. Hospitals keep electronic health records, which are patient files stored on computers instead of paper. Machines like CT scan, MRI and ECG use computers to show pictures and graphs of the body. Telemedicine means a patient talks to a doctor over a video call, which helps people in far away villages. Patients also book appointments and get lab reports online.

India has its own digital health services. eSanjeevani is a government service that gives free online consultations with doctors. ABHA, the Ayushman Bharat Health Account, gives a person a digital health ID. With it, your health records can be shared safely with a doctor, but only when you agree.

Pause and predict before each row appears. Engineering uses CAD to design a bridge. Banking uses UPI to send money in seconds. Insurance uses online claims. Marketing uses social media ads. Health care uses telemedicine to reach patients far away.

Let us revise what we learned today. In science and engineering, IT gives us CAD, simulations and weather forecasts. In banking, it gives core banking, ATMs, net banking and UPI. In insurance, we buy policies, pay premiums and file claims online. In marketing, companies use digital ads, offers and customer data. In health care, IT gives electronic records, scans and telemedicine. Look around this week and note one new use of IT in each field.