A routine interaction between students and Union Railway, Information Technology and Electronics Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at Malaviya National Institute of Technology (MNIT), Jaipur, on Thursday turned into an on-the-spot review of one of India’s most-used public digital platforms after a student directly flagged problems with the IRCTC website and mobile application.
During the interaction, a student told the minister that the IRCTC app and website needed improvement and raised concerns over the captcha system that users are required to complete while booking tickets. The complaint reflected a wider frustration often experienced by passengers, particularly during peak booking periods.
Hearing the feedback, Vaishnaw immediately contacted officials and instructed them to develop a new website. Addressing the students, he announced that a revamped IRCTC website would be launched on July 15 with the aim of providing a better experience to passengers.
The intervention came against the backdrop of recurring complaints from users of the railway ticketing platform. Among the most common issues reported by passengers are slow performance during Tatkal bookings, delays in receiving OTPs, payment failures, repeated captcha verification and app crashes during peak traffic hours. Users often face delays in page loading when Tatkal bookings open, while some transactions fail after payment despite seats initially appearing available. Complaints related to session expiry, repeated logins and delayed refunds have also remained a source of inconvenience for travellers.
The student interaction also brought attention to concerns beyond digital infrastructure. Another student suggested that trains should have dedicated baby-feeding rooms for women, arguing that mothers face difficulties feeding infants during long journeys.
The minister took note of the proposal and directed officials to examine it. He said the suggestion would be worked upon and that necessary arrangements would be developed keeping the convenience of women passengers and infants in mind. Officials were also asked to move forward on the proposal.
The programme at MNIT was centred on technology, innovation and future employment opportunities. During the event held at the Vivekananda Lecture Theatre Complex, Vaishnaw inaugurated a Makers Lab and announced plans to develop semiconductor, quantum technology and artificial intelligence laboratories at the institute.
In his interaction with students, the minister participated in a quiz and asked questions related to nano SIMs and semiconductor technology. He said nano SIMs are now being manufactured in India, describing it as an important step towards technological self-reliance.
