For most students,who received the laptops from the state government on day one of the launch of the scheme,it will be for the first time that they will lay hands on the technology. Some among them have seen or used the computer,but they are yet to experience the mobility the laptop offers,while many others will use the technology for the first time altogether. Take Umesh Kumar of Sitapur,a BSc student at Shia PG college in Lucknow. He seemed happily confused as to what he would do with the laptop,holding it close to his chest with both arms. He has never used a computer in his life. His four brothers are farmers,like his father,while his six sisters have all been married,some in families of businessmen. He has no idea whatsoever about what the laptop can do. Unlike few others,who had taken the laptops out of the carton,or kept it in the bag provided with it,Umesh has not touched anything,saying that he will open it only in his hostel room. He is still undecided about what he wants to be,but maybe the laptop will help in deciding, he says,with a smile that has not left his face. The laptop he is carrying is wi-fi enabled,has a movie maker,an Intel PC basics software and a Learn English software provided by the British Council apart from other softwares such as the power point,word and excel. It has a minimum of three hours battery back up,a built-in webcam and offers 500 GB of hard drive and 2 GB RAM. For others,this laptop will directly play a role in their career. I always wanted to catch up with the world fashion, says Arshi Malik,an Arts student at Navyug college,who wants to be fashion designer. Now the laptop will help her do just that,she says. Sitting next to her,Ayushi,a commerce student,says that she wants to be a chartered accountant. For her too,the laptop will assist in assignments apart from helping her with learning Tally. Although a laptop is not much different from a computer,Sadhna Dwivedi,a BA student,says that she will have to learn how to use a laptop even though she has used a computer before. She has never touched a laptop,she says. Her friend and classmate Shivani Singh too,has never used a laptop,which she says,she will utilise to gain knowledge. For Sadhna and many others,it is an open-ended scenario. They will proceed as they experience and discover the possibilities that a laptop can offer. Also,both are from Dr Shakuntala Misra Rehabilitation University for the differently-abled and the laptop will offer them an unrestricted environment of a different kind. In a symbolic gesture,the CM had given a laptop to Rambha Gupta,a differently-abled student,along with 50 others. On the other hand,there are those who are considerably well off,and already own a laptop; albeit they seem rare. Pranav Dwivedi,an MBBS student at King George Medical College (KGMU),Lucknow,for example,already owns a laptop. What will he do with it? Ill gift it to my younger brother who is in Class VIII, he says. Although his classmates Shikhar Garg and Himanshu Shakya do not own laptops,they can use one with ease and are now happy to own one. When you have a laptop,consolidating your notes and preparing for seminars and projects,which happen regularly,becomes easy, says Shikhar. The laptop is the common string that,Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav hopes,will give the states students a competitive edge and bring them on par with international students. Laptops are being given so that the students can connect with the world. so that nobody can say you dont know this. so that you dont feel inferior. Those who used to scare you by showing laptops. Samajwadi Party government has now enabled you to stand with them, the CM said,adding that he hopes that the laptop will benefit not just the students but their families as well. The families are,of course,important to the Samajwadi Party for they are the vote banks too. Giving away 15 lakh laptops has the potential to directly affect voters. Anil Kumar,father of a daughter who received a laptop,says he has never been politically inclined; but now,jo achcha karega,usey he vote denge (well vote for the the one who does good for us), he says with a smile. With him,Samajwadi Party members would say,their preparations for Lok Sabha elections are well under way.
