NEWS / TABLETS

IIT-Rajasthan to lose Aakash 2 deal

02 Feb, 2012, 10:34 am IST | by Anuradha Shetty | Tablets

Almost in a continuation to yesterday's reports about the government giving away the task of carrying out the tender proceedings for the upgraded Aakash 2 tablet to DIT, reports now have it that IIT-Rajasthan have lost out on the Aakash 2 deal. The government, visibly disturbed with the turn of events, especially after Datawind and IIT-Rajasthan bickered over a host of specifications, has now decided to assign the task of carrying out the procurement of the Aakash 2 tablet and future tendering to PSUs, instead, reports The Economic Times. Reportedly, the indifferences between the two entities - the makers and the procurement agency rose to such levels that the supplies had to be cut. 

 

It's here

New team aboard

 

 

Certainly a big blow to the institution, which is otherwise treated in high regard. Not only have IIT-Rajasthan lost out on the procurement deal of the Aakash 2 tablet to PSU, but have also lost out on the task of drafting of specifications and features to the Department of Information and Technology (DIT). Makers, Datawind, although may have got an extended LC till March, their course post-March seems undecided, for now. Reportedly, the government has more or less made up its mind on PSUs like ITI Ltd or Telecommunications Consultants India Ltd (TCIL) for the orders. A government official, in his statement to ET quoted that, "We have realised that educational institutes are not capable of handling tenders as it involves large sums of money and handling vendors. Public sector undertakings are much better equipped to handle it."

 

According to the reports, Aakash 2's fresh tenders will accomodate roughly a million units, and the task of procurement will then have to be managed between 2-3 vendors, owing to the sheer size. A lot seems to be happening on the Aakash tablet front, ever since rumours about the tablet first began surfacing. Datawind and IIT-Rajasthan have definitely gone down in history for being a part of an iconic event, however, that union has now been severed.

 

For more details on the Aakash tablet, click here.

Tags: Aakash , Aakash Tablet , Aakash tablet pc , Datawind , $35 Tablet , ITI Ltd , Telecommunications Consultants India Ltd (TCIL) , IIT-Rajasthan , procurement deal , PSU , public sector units , DIT , Department of Information Technology

RELATED STORIES

Aakash 2 to be here in April or May

Aakash 2 to be here in April or May

Latest reports confirm that India should gets it hands on the upgraded version of the world's most affordable tablet, ...

Datawind can bid for Aakash 2, affirms Sibal

Aakash 2 with capacitive touchscreen for $50

Datawind halts Aakash supplies, till IIT-Rajasthan release payments

Aakash 2 to sell for Rs.2,450, claims Sibal

Improved specs on Aakash 2 to make it costlier

HCL to bid for next generation Aakash tablet

 

OPINIONS

Padmini Harchandrai

The latest "should they-shouldn't they" event with Facebook is the lift of the minimu...

MORE OPINIONS

Photos

The new iPad

The new iPad

08 Mar, 2012, 01:41 AM

3.8

Samsung Galaxy Tab 620

Samsung Galaxy Tab 620

25 Jan, 2012, 01:29 PM

3.2

Ideapad tablets

Ideapad tablets

11 Oct, 2011, 04:42 PM

3.7

MORE PHOTOS

Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime TF201 Review

Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime TF201 Review

26 May, 2012, 09:48 AM IST

 7.0

Every now and then we come across a gadget that raises the bar for products in that segment. The Asus Eee Pad Transformer definitely classifies as one

Intex iTab Review

Micromax Funbook P300 Review

iBerry Auxus AX02 Review

Ainol Novo 7 Paladin Review

Zync Z990 Review

MORE REVIEWS

features

Hands-on with the elusive Ubislate 7+ and 7C

Hands-on with the elusive Ubislate 7+ and 7C

Datawind has travelled down a long and controversial path to officially...

By Harshit Passi

Anatomy of a Tablet: Interview with Suneet Singh Tuli, CEO Datawind

Anatomy of a Tablet: Interview with Suneet Singh Tuli, CEO Datawind

We recently had the opportunity to meet up with Mr. Suneet Singh Tuli, the

By Harshit Passi

Top 10 Android tablets 2012

Top 10 Android tablets 2012

We have a lot of options in the Android tablet segment out there. From...

By Naina Khedekar

MORE FEATURES