BENGALURU: A year after completing their first-year undergraduate course, students in state-run degree colleges and other professional colleges will get their laptops under the ‘Free Laptops scheme’, which was introduced by former chief minister Siddaramaiah.

The laptops for 2017-18 have not yet reached the students. Finally, this year, the Department of Collegiate Education has floated a tender to supply laptops under the scheme.

Though the laptops were supposed to reach the students in the start of this academic year, because of fund-crunch the department was unable to provide the same.

Last August, the Department of Collegiate Education said that due to a shortage of funds, the free laptop distribution scheme was hit. According to the statement given by State Higher Education Minister G T Devegowda, only `90 crore was available for the project, while the requirement was `280 crore.

The minister had also written letters to the finance department regarding the fund crunch, and also brought this to the notice of the Chief Minister. Officials of the department even added that apart from these, there were technical issues that delayed the distribution of laptops.

A senior official, Department of Collegiate Education said, “A fresh tender process has been framed and floated. 30 days’ time has been provided to firms to participate.”

These students who were waiting to get their free laptops are in the fourth semester now. This scheme was only applicaple to SC/ST students earlier. But from 2017-18, Siddaramaiah extended it to all students, under which 1.5 lakh students were to be covered.