1.55 lakh govt college students to get free tablets

BENGALURU: About 1.55 lakh students studying in government engineering, graduation and polytechnic colleges will get free tablets, said P Pradeep, Commissioner, Department of Collegiate Education. He was a panelist on the discussion ‘Global Level Preparation in Higher Education’, organised as part of ‘Good Governance Day’ to commemorate the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, on Friday.

Answering a question by IISc scientist Prof. HS Jamadagni, who moderated the discussion, Pradeep said the government had decided to provide free tablets to students of the current academic year, to encourage digital learning during the pandemic and to help students. “Though online classes will end and regular classes will begin, Deputy Chief Minister Dr CN Ashwath Narayan intends to make our students technologically ready as per global standards,” he said.

“In the current academic year, tablets will be provided to first-year degree students of 430 colleges, first, second and third-year engineering students of 14 colleges, and first and second-year polytechnic students of 87 colleges. Each tablet will be procured at Rs 10,000 and the total estimation is Rs 155.40 crore.

In case the tablets are not compatible for engineering students, education loans will be raised to procure tablets with advanced versions,” Pradeep said, adding that the department had held meetings with telecom companies and resolved network issues in rural areas.

GOOD ENGLISH A MYTH?
In another discussion on ‘Beyond Bengaluru’, Krishnadas Unni, Executive Director of IBM, said that language was no more a barrier, and a basic skill set is expected of employees. “A degree holder of accountancy from Mandya or Maddur can talk with the CFO of a European company if he has a basic skill set in his subject.

It is a myth to say that good English communication is essential to get employed and to have a bright career in corporate companies. What MNCs seek in employees is a basic skill set,” Unni said. He said there is plenty of talent and dedication in aspirants of Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.