Laptop promise not kept, students disappointed

LUCKNOW: The students pursuing higher education across the state were disappointed once again as the BJP government made no allocation for laptops in its second successive budget despite a promise in the manifesto released ahead of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls last year.

The Samjwadi Party government had distributed about 18 lakh laptops to class 12 pass outs in five years between 2012 and 2017. It took a swipe at the ruling party for not fulfilling the promise it made to lakhs of students ahead of 2017 polls.

The BJP made a raft of populist promises, including free laptops for all college students with 1 GB free internet per month.

However, chief minister Yogi Adityanath recently said instead of laptop, his government will like to provide quality education to students.

As a result, no budgetary provisions were made by the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh to make good on the promise. Last year, the BJP allocated Rs 50 crore for free Wi-Fi services to students of universities and degree colleges across the state.

“The BJP is known for its jumlas (rhetoric). After achhe din and the promise to bring back black money from Swiss Bank, free laptop distribution was just another example (of an unkept promise),” said Rakesh Shukla, an undergraduate student of Lucknow University.

“Distribution of free laptop with 1 GB free data was one of BJP’s poll promises but no mention was made of it in their first budget,” said Rohan Gupta, an undergraduate student of a degree college affiliated to Lucknow University.

“Is this another jumla?” asks Amit Rai, another undergraduate student of Lucknow University.

“The party had promised to give free laptops to all young people seeking admission in universities and colleges with 1 GB free internet a month. The youth of UP is feeling cheated,” said a university teacher who did not wish to be identified.

Part of the Samajwadi Party’s (SP) win in 2012 could be attributed to its poll promise of giving free laptops to students passing Class 12 and seeking admission in UP colleges. In five years, the Akhilesh Yadav government distributed 18 lakh laptops to meritorious students.

THE BJP MADE A RAFT OF POPULIST PROMISES, INCLUDING FREE LAPTOPS FOR ALL COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH 1 GB FREE INTERNET PER MONTH.