Microsoft inks deal with Rajasthan govt

IT giant to set up a world class centre in Jaipur to impart training to government teachers

In a bid to give a boost to computer literacy in government schools, the Rajasthan government has entered into an agreement with Microsoft Corporation, under which Microsoft will set up a "world class" information technology (IT) academy centre at Jaipur to impart comprehensive computer training to government teachers.

The agreement was signed at Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje's residence.

Appraising the media about the project, the managing director of Microsoft Asia Pacific, Peter Moore, said the company planned to establish a "world class" IT education centre in the pink city, which would provide computer literacy to teachers and students.

He said, "In the next five years, about 8,000 teachers and over 40,000 students studying in 3,000 government schools across the state will benefit from this project. We have equal focus on training of teachers because if teachers are not computer literate than how can students be?"

After this MoU, Rajasthan has become the seventh state in the country to have felt the need for computer literacy. In the first round of implementation, the government will identify five district institute education and training (DIET) centres where Microsoft will conduct its training programs.

Rajasthan Education Minister Ganshyam Tiwari said the government would only provide space to the company while all investments would be made by the company itself.

Besides training and curriculum developed in Hindi, Microsoft will also provide some scholarships to the teachers and students who excel in these computer modules. The company is already in possession of an education hall where they will set up an IT Academy.