Pune: Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has approved the e-learning scheme to digitalise corporation-run schools. in the recent General Body meeting. Now, the corporation will be spending Rs 21 crore to digitalise 287 schools across the city.

On Wednesday, the proposal was passed during the corporation's General Body meeting. The proposal took three months to get a nod from Standing Committee after several objections were raised about it. The members had raised objections related to the overall cost of the scheme, which was earlier Rs 24 crore. The members had suggested reducing the amount required for the scheme and demanded to find out cheaper option for e-learning technology. Similarly, the members said that the latest technology was not incorporated in the earlier proposal. Finally, the corporation revised the last proposal from Rs 24 crore to Rs 21 crore and tabled it before the committee.

The corporation has awarded the tender to Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL). BSNL will make one virtual studio along with 146 virtual classrooms. There will be 861 digital classrooms and the corporation will spend Rs 30 lakh for preparing the syllabus. 

Congress party leader Arvind Shinde criticised the proposal, stating, “The proposal has some technical problem. During discussion of the issue in the Assembly session, it was cleared that Balbharati will not give approval to e-learning syllabus of schools, which is included in the proposal.” 

Speaking about the same, Sheetal Ugale, Additional Municipal Commissioner, said, “Corporation does not have any information regarding permission of Balbharati. However, we will follow all the rules of the State government before implementing the scheme in schools.” 

In this proposal, not only the corporation school students but students from private schools will be able to access the learning material. Therefore, the proposal includes Internet connectivity, virtual classrooms, software and hardware and maintenance cost of three years. 

The rejected proposal
Earlier, Sandeep Gund, Information Technology Teacher working in State government-run District Institute of Education Training (DIET) located in Loni Kalbhor area in Pune district, had come up with the proposal of setting e-learning facility of an upgraded version in corporation schools at the cost of Rs 4 crore. However, this proposal was rejected by the municipal administration as well as Standing Committee members.