Cognizant, Rotary Club to provided 12,500 de-bonded computers in government colleges

Bengaluru: The Government First Grade Colleges will be provided with 12,500 de-bonded desktop computers as part of the 'Help Educate', a public-private initiative taken up by the Department of Collegiate and Technical Education.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed on Friday wherein the Department of Collegiate and Technical Education (DCTE), Cognizant Technology Solutions India Pvt Ltd, and the Rotary Club Whitefield Central, District 1390, Bengaluru have signed.

The prime objective of the initiative is to facilitate students of Government First Grade Colleges hailing from a socio-economically marginalized background, to learn and make a difference.

Dr. C. N. Ashwath Narayan, Deputy Chief Minister who also holds Higher Education portfolio said, "Under 'Help Educate' initiative the Department of Collegiate and Technical Education has been partnering with MNCs and philanthropists to educate and train students for employment, train professors in modern methodology through faculty development programs and digital teaching and also equip government colleges with digital assets to adopt digital learning which is both a recent trend and also an inviolable necessity of times".

Narayan said, "12,500 computers have been provided in government colleges as against around 30,000 needed. This contribution worth about Rs 50 crore would help fill the digital divide of the students." He also expressed the hope that many more MNCs would be inspired to follow in the footsteps of the two exemplary organizations.

As part of the initiative, Cognizant India Pvt. Ltd has volunteered to provide 12,500 de-bonded desktop computers, to the department, which in turn will distribute among Government First Grade Colleges to establish computer labs for the use of students. Rotary Club, Bangalore which has offered to install Windows OS & Office 365 and transport and install these desktops to respective destinations.

Naveen Rao, Cognizant Bangalore center head said that the company feels honored to be part of this crucial initiative led by the Department of Collegiate Education. He further said under the "Digital Inclusion" initiative of Cognizant Outreach, an employee-led volunteering program, the company has been supporting schools, educational institutions, community libraries, and other institutions across India with computer infrastructure to help them tide over the disruption by adopting digital learning.