HRD unveils low-cost computer for students

In a move that will change classroom education across the country, the ministry of human resource development unveiled a low-cost computer with a price tag of Rs 1,500 or $35 on Thursday. “This is our answer to MIT’s $100 computer,” human resource development minister Kapil Sibal said.

The device, which is no bigger than a conventional laptop, will have all elementary features, including internet browsing. It is a single unit system with a touch screen and a built-in keyboard along with a 2 GB RAM memory, wi-fi connectivity, USB port and powered by a 2-watt system to suit poor power-supply areas. The low-cost computer will be available for students by next year. Unveiling the device, Mr Sibal said: “This is real, tangible and we will take it forward. The sun will rise for the children in 2011.”

The device has been indigenously developed through a unique collaborative effort, which included the ministry, institutes like the IITs, IISc and VIT, Vellore and students. The idea for a low-cost computer has been in the works for nearly a decade now, with efforts being made by Murli Manohar Joshi in his tenure during the NDA regime, and then by Arjun Singh during UPA-I. Given the lukewarm response from IT sector companies, the ministry began discussions with professors and experts at IISc Bangalore, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras and IIT Bombay. Undergraduate and postgraduate students participated by working on the development of a mother board for a low-cost device with ample flexibility to change components. Initially, the device came at a cost of $47, however further collaborations across institutes led to refinements which helped reduce price. “When we started the project, the response from the private sector was lukewarm. Now, many are willing to join the innovation,” Mr Sibal said.

The government’s objective is to bring down the price to Rs 470 ($10). “We have come out with the device at Rs 1,500 ($35) and now we invite individuals, entrepreneurs, firms and industries to produce the device at cheaper rates than this. We have demonstrated to the world that we have produced a cheaper device when the prices of computers are going up,” the minister said.

The manufacturer of the device and the distribution system are yet to be finalised. The minister said that the price tag of Rs 1,500 has been computed after taking all aspects into consideration.