MP govt to gift smartphones to lure students to classrooms

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh higher education department may soon distribute smart phones to students in government colleges who have 75% attendance record. This revelation was made in the assembly on Thursday by minister of state for higher education Deepak Joshi while he was replying to a question by Congress MLA Nishank Jain.

The BJP in its 2013 assembly election manifesto had promised smart phones to hard-working and committed students of government colleges. An approval for this was moved by the higher education department on September 9, 2014.

During question hour, Congress MLA Nishank Jain asked why after the approval and financial sanction, smart phones have not been distributed in the government college in his assembly seat in Ganjbasoda. He also said that students attending state-run colleges in adjoining constituencies in Vidisha district have also not received their smart phones. "By when is the government planning to give smart phones to students?"

In reply, minister of state higher education Deepak Joshi specified that the policy is to give smart phones to students with 75% and more attendance. "Tenders were issued for implementing the policy but there was a technical error for which it has been delayed. Procedure for smart phone distribution will be re-started and soon the mobile phones will be distributed. Also, the 2015-16 semester is ongoing and 75% attendance cannot be determined mid-term," Joshi said.

The Congress MLA asked about senior students who in the meantime have graduated since the policy was announced. "During this delay, many students have graduated from colleges," Nishank Jain said. Deepak Joshi replied that all students of government colleges who have 75% attendance since the announcement of the scheme will get smart phones, and that no one will be deprived.