Random Thoughts And Opinions

On February 3rd India unveiled what may be termed as the cheapest laptop worldwide priced at around Rs 500 which is almost equal to 10 USD during the launch of India’s National Mission on Education! It’s a wonderful news for Indian students as most can now afford to have their personal laptops once its released into the mass market. This cheap laptop was designed by students at Vellore Institute of Technology, scientists at Indian Institute of Science at Bengaluru , IIT Madras and Semiconductor Complex.

It has features like 2GB memory, WiFi, fixed Ethernet facility and an added advantage of expandable memory. The designers also claimed that these laptops will only consume 2 watts of power which is again a blessing to the poor students. These laptops will be available for Indian students nationwide in colleges and schools.The National Mission has planned to provide personalised and interactive knowledge modules which will be provide to the students via Internet and these laptops are made available so that every student can gain from these modules irrespective of their economic conditions.

 According to Government reports around Rs. 4612 crore will be incurred during the 11th Five Year Plan on this Mission.Many Indian students now buy computers, which have become necessary for every field of education, on bank loans. Many students can’t even afford to take a loan or does not have the income source to give security. Such computers which will be provided very soon in the coming years is definite to cause an immense improvement in technological literacy of common man of India.