Aakash 2 specifications by June-end: Kapil Sibal

MUMBAI: The specifications for revised version of the world's cheapest tablet PC - Aakash 2 will be finalised by month-end, Union Telecom and HRD Minister Kapil Sibal has said.

"During the course of this month, we will finalise the specifications and technology for the Aakash project and move forward with its manufacturing," Sibal said at an event over the weekend here.

The tablet will be a platform on which public services will be electronically delivered, he said.

"I am absolutely certain that in the next five to seven years, we will be able to provide this tablet to every school and college student. It will also be available for the individuals who wish to acquire it," he said.

"The tablet will be available at as cheap as USD 35 (Rs 1,960) or even less," he said.

Stating that information is the most powerful tool, Sibal said there is a need for higher investments in IT, telecom and electronic manufacturing sectors.

"We need to invest in these sectors which are emerging as backbones of our economic growth. Over next two-and-a-half years, we aim to connect 2.5 lakh gram panchayats across the country through optical fibre and the last mile connectivity through wireless broadband," he said.

As many as 604 universities and 35,000 colleges will be brought under the national knowledge network in the next six months, he said.

At present, out of the 604 universities, 400 are already in the network, while of the 35,000 colleges only 14,000 are networked and data sharing has started among them at the primary level, he said.