Students enrolled in government colleges in seven aspirational districts of UP, including Sonbhadra, Siddharth Nagar, Shravasti, Fatehpur, Chitrakoot, Chandauli, Balrampur and Bahraich, will be provided tablets with preloaded study content. These e-tablets will be kept in the college libraries and will be issued to students, just like books. The Deputy Chief Minister stated that the government had decided to procure 160 electronic tablets in 18 government colleges in these districts.
Loaded study materials will be accessible without an internet connection
The Deputy Chief Minister further said that the decision is in consonance with the New Education Policy (NEP) which lays stress on the use and integration of technology for education. He mentioned the importance of this initiative, in the light of the ongoing Digital India campaign which aims at making citizens digitally empowered. This digital conversion will bring in quality in education and layout academic reforms too.
Additional chief secretary (higher education) Monika S. Garg stated, “COVID-19 lockdown necessitated online teaching in government colleges but students in aspirational districts who are not equipped with smartphones, internet and other e-learning material lagged behind. Aspirational districts are backward on parameters like education, health and nutrition, agriculture, water resources and basic infrastructure.” She also added that students can use these tablets as per their convenience and the loaded study materials will be accessible without an internet connection.
These tablets will have a 10-inch screen and will have high-resolution quality as well, so that it has no adverse impact on the eyesight of students. Each of the 18 government colleges will be given 8-9 tablets during the academic session 2020-21.
