IIT Rajasthan Proposal for Rural Students

New Delhi: Indian Institute of Technology Rajasthan (IIT-R) has initiated with development schemes for the rural students. IIT-R has taken up two most significant projects in the field of education and energy. In order to offer low-cost computer devices to rural students, the IIT-R has already initiated the process by inviting tenders for the supply of 1 lakh Low Cost Access-cum-Computing Devices (LCAD). These devices are to be provided to the end user for a meagre Rs 1,500 each, for which the Central government will give 50% funding.

As per sources, according to the delivery period conditions in the tender document, the supplying company will have to deliver at least 10,000 pieces of the devise by February 28, 2011 and the entire delivery of 1 lakh pieces will have to completed by April 30, 2011. Initially, these 1 lakh LCADs will be distributed in the rural areas across the country and after the review of this distribution, they will go for mass production and distribution of the sets all across the country.

According to the statement of Goverdhan Mehta, Chairman of the governing body towards firming up its structure since its inception and shifting to Jodhpur, they have made a steady progress and have set up E-Classrooms of international standards. He said that they have already spent Rs 10 crore on the equipment in the laboratories for the research purpose and more worth Rs 15 crore are in pipeline, which will be positively be obtained by March end. He added that total budget for this IIT is Rs 760 crore but it can be revised depending on the needs.

Besides, Professor P K Kalra, Director of the IIT-R has said regarding faculty that they have been sanctioned a faculty of 90 in the 11th Five Year plan. Of this, they have already appointed 33 faculty members after the recent induction of 12 and with the progress, they will keep adding them. He added that it is a challenge to have the right faculty as they are not willing to compromise on that. Considering this, we are picking the talent after identifying it both on national and international level. Besides, the IIT-R is also going to launch the new programmes from the next session. Mehta said till now we are running only undergraduate courses but from July next year, they are going to launch M.Tech and PhD.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com