New IRCTC Website to Launch by July 15, Announces Ashwini Vaishnaw During Jaipur Student Interaction

Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced that a revamped IRCTC website will be launched by July 15, following feedback and complaints raised by students regarding persistent issues with the online ticket-booking platform.

The announcement was made on Thursday during an interactive session with students at the Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur (MNIT) in Jaipur.

During the event, a student drew the minister’s attention to the recurring captcha-related difficulties faced by railway ticket users, urging him to address the problem.

In a video from the interaction that quickly gained traction on social media, the student can be heard requesting, “Sir, please solve the problem of the IRCTC captcha.”

Responding on the spot, Vaishnaw contacted a departmental official and conveyed the students’ demand for an improved platform.

The minister asked the official whether a completely new version of the IRCTC website could be developed within 30 days.

After receiving a response, he assured the students that the upgraded portal would be operational by July 15. The announcement was met with applause and appreciation from those present at the event.

Long-Standing User Complaints

While captcha-related issues remain one of the most commonly reported frustrations, railway passengers have frequently highlighted several other challenges associated with the existing IRCTC platform.

Users have often complained about slow website performance, server crashes and outages during peak booking periods, particularly during Tatkal ticket reservations.

Other recurring concerns include unexpected session timeouts, automatic logouts, payment failures after seat selection, login difficulties, repeated error messages, and delays in receiving one-time passwords (OTPs).

Many passengers have also raised concerns regarding heavy traffic bottlenecks during high-demand booking windows, as well as allegations of unfair advantages enjoyed by bots and ticketing agents.

In an effort to improve platform integrity, the government revealed last year that nearly 2.5 crore user accounts had been deactivated as part of measures aimed at curbing misuse and unauthorised activities on the portal.

Quantum Technology Lab Announced at MNIT Jaipur

During the same visit, Vaishnaw, who also serves as the Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, unveiled plans for an advanced quantum computing and quantum communications laboratory at MNIT Jaipur.

The facility will be established under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s (MeitY) Electronics and ICT Academic Project.

Its primary objective will be to strengthen India’s indigenous capabilities in emerging quantum technologies, including quantum key distribution (QKD), quantum computing simulations and quantum sensing hardware development.

Addressing students and faculty members, the minister emphasised that while artificial intelligence is currently driving the global technology landscape, quantum technology is expected to power the next major wave of innovation.

He noted that the research and development work carried out through the project would have significant strategic and technological importance for the country.

Officials added that research in quantum key distribution would play a particularly crucial role in strengthening national security and secure communication systems.

Makers Lab and AI Lab to Boost Innovation

As part of the event, Vaishnaw and Rajasthan Minister of State for Energy (Independent Charge) Heeralal Nagar jointly inaugurated a new “Makers Lab” at the institute.

The Union minister also announced the establishment of a dedicated Artificial Intelligence (AI) laboratory, aimed at providing students with greater opportunities for research, innovation and hands-on learning in advanced technologies.

MNIT Students to Access Semiconductor Training Platform

In another major initiative, Vaishnaw announced that students of MNIT Jaipur will receive access to Lam Research’s Semiverse platform, a cutting-edge semiconductor education and training ecosystem built on digital twin technology.

The platform will allow students to explore semiconductor chip architecture in three dimensions, gain a deeper understanding of chip manufacturing processes, and virtually simulate fabrication procedures in a realistic digital environment.

The initiative is expected to strengthen practical learning opportunities in semiconductor technology and help prepare students for careers in one of the world’s fastest-growing and strategically important industries.