Good News! 1 Crore Students to Get Smartphones or Tablets

There’s a good news for students as UP Government has announced on Tuesday that it will distribute mobile or tablets to 60 Lakh to 1 Crore students of the state for technical empowerment of the youth. Most of the studies carried out online; even exams are also being conducted online. In such a situation, it has become necessary to connect the youth with these mediums of information technology. 

These smart phones or tablets will be given to the trainees of Undergraduate/ Masters,  B.Tech, Polytechnic, Medical Education, Para Medical Studies. 

This decision was taken in the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. About three thousand crore rupees will be spent on this scheme. This decision by the government is aimed at the government’s massive outreach just ahead of next year’s assembly elections. 

In order to provide smart phones and tablets to the youth, a committee of six members would be formed in every district under the chairmanship of the District Magistrate, who would prepare a list of identified educational institutions. He said that these smart phones or tablets will be purchased only through the Gem portal. GeM portal will be the nodal agency.  

Who will receive these mobiles or tablets? 

In a statement, the state government said that smartphones and tablets will be distributed free of cost among the youth enrolled in various teaching/ training  programmes like graduation, post-graduation, diploma, skill development, paramedical and nursing etc in the state. The youth enrolled in the higher education, technical education, health education, skill development training, ITI and 'Seva Mitra' portal of the state will also get the benefit. 

The Seva Mitra Portal is an important initiative of the skill development department through which various skill services like those of plumber, carpenter, nurse, electrician, AC mechanic etc are trained. They will also be provided tablets/smart phones so that they can earn their living by providing better services to the citizens. 

Other categories of youth may also get tablets 

In the proposed beneficiary category under the scheme, youth of other classes will also be included from time to time with the approval of the Chief Minister. The decision of which beneficiary group is to be provided tablets and to whom smart phones are to be given, will be decided at the level of the Chief Minister. 

Determination of the priority of the beneficiary class for the distribution of tablet-smart phones and the decision regarding phased purchase will also be taken from the level of the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister has been authorized to make any amendments under the scheme to resolve the practical difficulties that may arise in future.