Smart Classes For Rural Schools (RailTel)
RailTel has submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Education for a scheme to connect the rural schools run by the central government with smart classes.
RailTel:
- RailTel Corporation of India Limited is a “Mini Ratna (Category-I)” Public Sector Undertaking. It is an ICT provider of information and communication and is one of the largest neutral telecommunications infrastructure providers in the country. RailTel has an optic fiber network with railway tracks across India.
- RailTel’s optical fiber cable network covers all the important cities and rural areas of India. It has been selected for the implementation of various mission-mode projects of the Government of India such as the National Knowledge Network, Bharat Net and Optical Fiber-Based Connectivity Project funded by Universal Service Obligation Fund in North East India.
About the proposal:
- The scheme presents an end-to-end e-learning solution, using a solid optical fiber cable network, which is the backbone of the Indian Railways telecommunications operations.
- The main objective of the scheme is to get maximum benefits in the field of education through e-learning, especially at a time when the pandemic has allowed teachers and students to use virtual platforms and it has led to the adoption of IT-enabled interactive tools for teaching work.
- The proposal related to access to high-speed broadband in remote government schools, providing electricity and learning, means the “Internet of Things” environment.
- The cable network is laid along railway tracks and as far as its reach is concerned, it can be transported anywhere in rural schools in India. It also includes remote areas where reliable Internet facilities are not available.
- This will affect about 3.5 lakh students enrolled in schools, which are run by the central government for meritorious students, mainly in rural India.
- RailTel has already provided this type of connectivity to 723 higher educational institutions under the Centre’s National Knowledge Network Program, with broadband speeds of up to 10 Gbps.
Source: Indian Express
