Aakash-4 launch delayed indefinitely

The tablet may have to be launched by the next government.

The launch of the low-cost tablet PC Aakash-4, which was supposed to be launched in January 2014, after being tested by the Kapil Sibal-headed IT and Communications Ministry has yet again been deferred to an indefinite period.

Sibal’s office had announced a press meeting on 18 February at the National Media Centre regarding the status and the launch of the tablet. The ministry, however, citing administrative reasons retracted its decision saying “the meeting is postponed till further dates.”

The tablet meant to be distributed to college students on subsidised prices for digital learning has not seen the light of the day and has missed numerous deadlines since the project was launched in 2011 by Sibal, the then Minister for Human Resources Development (MHRD). According to senior officials in the ministry, the said event was postponed due to a lack of consensus on the commercial price of the tablet. On 17 February, the telecom minister had told media organisations that Aakash-4 would be available in the market at Rs 3,999 in another one or one and a half months. “However, the IT minister had announced this rate, but the department is still in the last leg of negotiation with the vendors to bring the cost down further from Rs 3,999. The rate might be lowered by another Rs 100. It is expected to be announced next week,” said a senior official associated with the project.

“We are trying to bargain as much as possible. This is because after being launched in the commercial space the rate will increase after adding various taxes and transportation costs on it,” he added.

However, the MHRD, under which the specifications of the tablet were finalised in last December, is sceptical about its launch before the Lok Sabha elections.

“It is not likely that the launch will happen before the general elections. The tablet may have to wait for the new government to be launched,” said a top official in the MHRD.

Aakash -4 will come with a 7-inch scratch resistant capacitive touch screen, Wi-Fi, 2G, 3G and 4G connectivity, 4GB internal storage, improved battery life, external memory card slot with storage capacity of up to 32 GB, front camera etc.