Laptop for Indian Students at Rs 4000

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Sciences (IIS) in Bangalore and IIT Madras are designing laptop for students which would cost about Rs 4,000. This initiative is part of of a special project to encourage technology-enabled education by the Human Resource Development Ministry.

This was announced by the Minister of State for Human Resources Development on Tuesday while addressing the inaugural session of e-India 2008, an international conference of IT solution providers and government agencies to facilitate practices of e-governance and digital learning in India.

The government is envisioning to use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to strengthen various modes of learning both in school and at higher education levels. To deliver the benefits of ICT in the learning process, a new scheme namely National Mission in Education through ICT will be launched, with the objective of providing connectivity to the learners to the world of  knowledge in cyberspace.

[advt]

The new mission would also focus on developing a very low-cost and low-power consuming access device, making available free bandwidth to every Indian for education purpose.

This is nothing but just like the OLPC program (which was originally supposed to be $100). Hopefully the Indian version would limit within the 4000 rupees range.

source: PIB India, Silicon India, Mathrubhumi

[Update: BTW, I have seen other news articles [01, 02] discussing about just $10 (Rs 400) rupee laptop! Can’t believe that new websites accepted that news blindly.]

17 Comments

  1. when will it launch??????????? we have got so many poor people who wants to study and work on some projects they actually need a laptop. I am a person who is working i already have a computer but i want something portable like a laptop which i can also take to the schools and do any work on it using an INTERNET I m from CHANDIGARH{U.T.}
    SO PLZZZZZZZ CAN U TELL WEN WILL LAUNCH??????????///
    I WOULD BE VERY THANKFUL TO YOU

    Thanks & Regards

    PIYUSH NANDA

  2. thanks to vinay. for reply. but what’s time after it’s lounch. and what a conditions of buy this laptop.plz tell me

  3. The cost of computers is the biggest barrier holding back the growth of Internet in India. Mobiles never got onto this 300 MN trajectory till Nokia decided to price devices of Indian market in the Rs. 1,000 range … and carrier decided to get to Rs. 1 per minute (remember the early days when it was Rs. 13 per min and 35,000 Rs. for a mobile). The BN people market will remain a mirage till the internet ecosystem makes it an am-admin service.

    Let 100s of MNs use email first … then rest will follow.

  4. its very good idea
    it is very useful for poor people like me.
    because of this computer in India computer education will increase.
    thank you very much for your help.

  5. If this laptop is costing just rs 4000/- there will be so many people to buy it coz we have got so many poor people who wants to study and work on some projects they actually need a laptop. I am a person who is working i cannot afford to buy a computer but f it is just for 4000/- rs than would definately buy instead of going to the cyber cafe everyday for my project work i would save all that money and buy a laptop which is costing just 4000/- Rs….

    Thank you so much for your help

    Thanks & Regards

    Swati D. Bhagat

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