CHENNAI: The government is speeding up efforts to link up colleges, universities in Tamil Nadu with the library network of the UGC to provide access to a huge learning resource to students, R Kannan, principal secretary of Higher Education said here on Wednesday.After launching the ‘EduVision 2011’, a one-day national conference on ‘technovating’ education and preparing India for 2020 organised by the Manufacturers’ Association for Information Technology (MAIT), Kannan said that the State was taking steps to link colleges in Tamil Nadu through the ‘Inflibnet’ to the library network of the UGC, engineering colleges and universities elsewhere.This would enable a student even in a remote village to peruse a book available in a distant location and take notes from his college library. “This is part of the knowledge revolution in TN in accordance with the Chief Minister’s vision.”Stating that the free laptop scheme of the State government is unique, he said it was one-third of the total Indian demand. “Factories have to be built to cater to this huge demand. If this is not a happening place, what else is?” he asked. The free laptops to be distributed for students of arts and science colleges are loaded with lessons developed by the Queen Marys College in the city. Similar arrangements have also been made for engineering students as well.“A student even in a remote village with the help of the laptop can get the same quality of lecture in any part of India. Socially and economically backward students are no more at a disadvantage. This is how we have bridged the gap between the elite and not so elite.”Managing Director of ELCOT Atul Anand said that the `100-crore worth initiative of the State and Centre of launching ‘e-districts’ through which TN aims to render most services to the citizens would increase the demand for devices, including the laptop and even mobile based applications.
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