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Journalism of Courage
Nearly 75,000 students who paid Rs 1,000 each for the NAMO (New Avenues of Modern Education) e-tablets under a Gujarat government scheme launched in 2017-’18, and have not got them due to reasons, including the devices “failing quality tests”, have written to the government to return their money, or adjust it with their final semester fee.
Many of these students will now complete their three and four year diploma and degree courses without receiving the tablets for which they have paid at the beginning of academic sessions in 2018-’19 and 2019-’20.
In a letter to the chief minister’s office (CMO) last month, accessed by The Indian Express, a student of 2018-’19 batch from Government Engineering College, Godhra, said: “We had paid Rs 1,000 for the tablets in the first year (August 2018) but are still waiting for the tablets… We complained many times but got no proper solution… Barely couple of months left for completion of BE…”.
The government has now issued fresh tenders after suspending the scheme for 2020-’21 and 2021-’22 academic sessions. Since the scheme was announced, the government has given out nearly eight lakh tablets.
Then education minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama said in the state assembly in February 2020 that the Lenovo tablets cost Rs 6,667 to the state government.
The distribution was delayed after the Gujarat government inserted a “Make in India” clause in the tender and the tablets that were procured failed quality tests. After tenders were issued 3-4 times but failed to generate good response or meet the technical specifications, in August 2021, the tender was awarded to Indian firm, Lava International.
Education Minister Jitu Vaghani said, “Since Lava International failed quality tests, earlier tender was cancelled and fresh tenders have been floated again.” Vaghani said after failing quality tests twice, the government cancelled the previous tender of 2021 for three lakh tablets.
Principal secretary, education, SJ Haider, said, “The result of second quality testing is still awaited. The delay from the vendor is due to chip shortage in the global markets.”
On March 23, 2022, the education department issued fresh tenders for 3,75,000 tablets, agreeing to split the bid between two manufacturers. The tender also invites bids from “MSE and start-ups” after exempting conditions such as three years of experience and minimum average annual turnover of Rs 150 crore. The last date for bidding was extended from April 12 to May 16, 2022.
With further delay expected in procuring tablets, the government will have to provide tablets to nearly 9.75 lakh students, including those still studying as well as new admissions in June 2022.
