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| Learn to surf the net for just Rs 125 |
| Leslie D'Monte / New Delhi Feb 26, 2009, 00:04 IST |
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National Internet Exchange of India in a tie-up with Sify launches a course on internet.
Internet-deprived Indians now have an opportunity to learn surfing basics for just Rs 125 at 2,000-odd Sify cybercafes through the country. Participants, who complete the 10-hour course, will be issued a certificate jointly by the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) and Sify Technologies. The certificate is signed by the Secretary, Department of Information Technology (DIT).
The internet course, launched earlier this week by NIXI in collaboration with Sify Technologies is aimed at teaching people how to use the internet — especially those who do not have a personal computer (PC). The course was initially planned as a 7-hour one, priced at Rs 250. However, NIXI — a not-for-profit organisation — subsidised the cost by 50 per cent, while Sify added 3 more hours of course content.
NIXI is soon planning to expand this project to reach 100,000 citizens by the year-end. “We are talking to more industry captains and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in this regard,” says Rajesh Aggarwal, NIXI Additional CEO. He hopes this move will help ordinary and interested (which explains the payment of Rs 125) citizens to get rid of the fear of computers and the internet.
The logic is simple. There are just around 36 million PCs in India for an over billion population, and most of these in urban areas. Not all of these are connected to the internet. On the other hand, there are around 180,000 cybercafes through the country, each having six-seven PCs on an average with internet connection. Moreover, these cybercafes are open for 10-12 hours each day through the year.
“This solves the problem of not having an internet connection to some extent,” reasons Naresh Ajwani, president, Consumer Infrastructure and Operations, Sify Technologies. Sify’s franchisees know their localities on the back of their hand, which helps them in spreading the word, besides identifying the ‘non-internet knowing deserving candidates’. Sify is promoting the concept by putting up posters at the cybercafes (called iways), and other below-the-line advertising. The content for the 10-hour course is provided by Sify.
The revenue is shared 70:30, with the frachisee getting the bigger chunk to keep him motivated and find new business. Besides, notes Ajwani, the frachisees have been asked to strike a gender balance. “We are in talks with DIT and NIXI to introduce vernacular content. And yes, we are planning to introduce advanced internet and other courses once we guage the success of this project,” says Ajwani.
NIXI — along with the Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) — is simultaneously spreading the concept of ‘smart and safe surfing’ in urban and rural schools (both English and vernacular medium). IAMAI President Subho Ray says: “The pilot project in these schools in around 4-5 cities is aimed at creating awareness at the grassroots level about internet safety. With the proliferation of so many social networking sites, it has become important to make school children aware of the dangers of sharing personal information with strangers.”
IAMAI had conducted a similar ‘successful’ exercise with Google last September, called the ‘Be NetSmart’ campaign. It expects to reach out to at least 500,000 students in a year’s time with the help of this programme.
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