IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation to launch rural technology centres in Tamil Nadu

NEW DELHI: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation is collaborating with Asha For Education, an organisation that works for the education of underprivileged children, to launch rural technology centres across the state of Tamil Nadu with the objective to impart computer science literacy among government school students in remote areas of Tamil Nadu.

Today, on February 11, two regional centres have been inaugurated in Kanakamma Chathram and Seethanjeri Villages of Tiruvallur District, Tamil Nadu, which is located around 60 Km away from Chennai.

@iitmadras Pravartak Technologies Foundation partners with @AshaChennai to launch rural technology centres to take computer science literacy to remote and rural government school students in #TamilNadu . Here is a video byte of students & teachers sharing their experiences with us pic.twitter.com/sWQpM1P1IP

— IIT Madras (@iitmadras) February 11, 2022

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“IIT Madras is committed to working towards providing access to quality education and technology to students belonging to rural areas of our Country. The setting up of these two rural technology centres mark the beginning of our journey,” said V Kamakoti, director of IIT Madras

According to a statement from IIT Madras, the Asha-IIT Madras Pravartak rural technology centres will train students of Classes 9 to 12 in computer science, familiarise with technology and help rural areas of Tamil Nadu to reap its benefits. It will help students to approach latest technology without fear and provide students with a space to experience new technologies with guidance from teachers. The initiative aims to develop computational skills in students.

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“We wanted to open the centres close to higher secondary schools so that the students will be able to attend courses in our centres in the evening after their school hours. Most children do not get any opportunity to learn computer science and other technologies. Even if they do it is taught without any hands-on experience with computers. We hope to provide these with our rural technology centres,” said Rajaraman Krishnan from Asha For Education.