Pune Engineering College introduces "Combo Card"; how does it work

Key Highlight:

• Combo card is an identity-cum-debit card
• SBI recently introduced a combo card facility for Mumbai metro stations
• Manipal University last year launched Combo card

An engineering college in Pune has introduced a unique concept of "Combo Card" which plays the role of both identity card and debit card.

This card has been distributed to more than 4,000 students of the college, having their identifications like photograph, biometric information, Aadhaar and Permanent Account Number (PAN) details, blood group and college enrolment number.

B B Ahuja, director and professor of the college, said in a mid-day report, "After this idea of combining the identity card and bank debit card came to my mind, we collaborated with the State Bank of India. It took us three months to work on this project."

While using combo card, Pune College students will now have easy access to the library, laboratory and hostel. It will also help them conduct transactions related to the stipends and scholarships they receive.

Apart from having access to department of the college, these students will also be able to carry out bank transactions. The card has radio frequency identification chip which will scan all the necessary details.

Currently, SBI has Mumbai metro combo card which acts as a payment-cum-access card at metro stations in Mumbai and also functions as a standard shopping-cum-ATM debit card.

Under the SBI's Mumbai metro combo card, a customer can  shop at over 10 lakh merchant outlets in India. They can also book  movie tickets, pay bills and use it online purchases over the internet using Master Secure Code.

Moreover, a customer using this metro combo card can withdraw cash from any State Bank Group ATMs or other ATMs in India and worldwide.

Last year, Manipal University in tie up with SBI has launched the similar concept of combo cards for their students.