6000 crores projects to network knowledge

20 Jan 2010

6000-CR PROJECT TO NETWORK KNOWLEDGE

From Our Delhi Bureau

NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet will put its stamp on Thursday on an innovative National Knowledge Network (NKN) to be set up at an estimated cost of Rs 6000 crores to help the higher educational institutions across the country share knowledge and information.

The network will be rolled out with a 15 Gigabit broadband connectivity of institutions across the country to help all universities, libraries, laboratories, hospitals, agricultural institutions and research bodies share and exchange data online. It will have nodes in all major institutions of higher education and learning.

Communication and Information Technology Minister A Raja will be moving the NKN proposal at the Cabinet to enable India leapfrog into knowledge society and knowledge driven economy.

PITRODA PROJECT: Conceptualised by the Sam Pitroda-led National Knowledge Commission (NKC), the project gathering dust since its report in 2007 envisages networking across some 18,000 colleges and universities, putting learning material online and sharing the expertise of centres of excellence with institutes spread across the country.

The Cabinet nod has been sought to provide the ultra highspeed nework to connect eight metros, 2500 cities and 2500 major towns before 2020. The cost is not very high since the project envisages utilising the existing optical fibre network laid across the country by the telephone department. Network of railways may be used as a standby backup.

Pitroda had stressed in his report that the network will promote collaboration and co-creation among the IITs, IIMs, national research institutions, universities and colleges which has already become a hallmark of higher education in the western world. It will enrich every participating institution from flow of the academic resources.

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