Govt set to make available computers @ about Rs 500

To take knowledge to every household and help students get feed on
every subject while sitting home, the government is set to make
available low-cost computers at USD 10 within six months.

Technology for these small devices has been developed by IISC,
Bangalore and IIT Madras. "But lot of testing has to be done to ensure
that the technology works properly. Once the testing is over, the
computers will be made available on commercial basis. The target is to
make it available in six months time," Higher Education Secretary,
Ministry of HRD, R P Agrawal said reporters in New Delhi on Thursday.

The computer will be a small equipment with expandable memory, LAN and
Wi-Fi facilities. The government will also produce e-content on every
subject which will be made available free of cost.

A prototype computer has been designed which is being tested now. "Its
cost will be USD 10. If the parents want to gift something to their
kids, they can easily purchase this item and gift them," he said.

Students can get the e-content feed and load them in their computers
and take advantage of the materials. The government will provide these
computers to educational institutions at a subsidised price, Agrawal
said.

The government is in the process of consultation with different
agencies for production of these computers and are seeking
collaboration with them. These computers can run at two WT power. "The
ultimate target is to have a Virtual Technological University,"
Agrawal said.

The low-cost computers are being developed under the central scheme --
National Mission on Education through Information Communication
Technology (ICT).

The ICT scheme envisages providing broadband connectivity to about
20,000 institutions, including 100 central educational institutions,
in the country.

Institutions run by state governments and private agencies will have
to bear 25 per cent of the cost for the broadband connectivity.

There are about 15,000 institutions in the country which do not have
any connectivity and they will get five MBPS connectivity, Agrawal
said. "The purpose is that the scheme will bridge the digital divide
between institutions," he said.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has already approved
the scheme which aims to use ICT in providing personalised and
interactive knowledge modules to students, a step aimed at increasing
enrollment rate by five per cent in higher education in the 11th Plan.

The scheme would cost Rs 4,612 crore in the 11th Plan. "About 40 per
cent of the fund will be spent on developing e-content. The e-content
will be provided free to the institutions and students," he said.

About 10,000 departments of 420 universities will be benefited by the
project. The scheme will be launched at Tirupati on February three.

However, this scheme will be different from National Knowledge Network
(NKN) being launched by the Department of Telecommunication. The NKN
will provide high capacity connectivity to premier institutions.

After the ICT scheme is in place, students will get lectures offered
by IIT professors online and could even get their doubts cleared.

There is a plan to start 100 educational channels beaming them through
EDUSAT, Agrawal said. These channels will spread education in remote
and inaccessible areas.

The government is also starting 1,000 polytechnics at a cost of Rs
6,858 crore. It has released Rs 100 crore for starting 50 such
institutions in the first phase.

At present, there are about 1,250 polytechnics in the country with an
intake for about 4.5 lakh students.

Source | Financial Express | 29 January 2009