India: Microsoft gives free OS to schoolkids to curb piracy

[Len]

In a bid to discourage the use of its pirated operating systems, Microsoft is supplying free software to schoolchildren in rural areas.

The tech giant plans to create an impact with its original features while beating the use of the pirated version by distributing the free operating system.

BGS World School, Chikkaballapur, is the first school in rural India to transform from the traditional four-walled classrooms into a ‘Connected Learning Community 2020’ vision of Unesco.

The school has partnered with Tech Avant-Garde and Microsoft to adopt the Microsoft School Aspire Program (MASP Pro) and equip itself with an integrated set of technology and innovative learning solutions. It has been given the original version of the operating system for free to curb piracy.

“There is always an issue with the pirated OS. The pirated OS either fails or gets easily corrupted within a short period of time. To curb such usage, we have planned to distribute the original software to students and teachers free of charge,” said Ali Sait, the CEO of Tech Avant-Garde. “Students of rural school possess immense creativity and are good at critical thinking. But they are behind when it comes to computational and collateral thinking and communication skills. Our programme is to enhance these skills.”

Ranjit Kumar Mandal, the school principal, said: “All our students are paying the fee online and are using several learning apps. We are also glad that we have been offered free operating system software.”

Both the companies have tied up with over 55,000 schools in the entire country, including in rural areas of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and Kashmir. “In Karnataka, we have tied up with schools in Tumakuru, Nagasandra and many other places. We are going to expand it further to reach out to maximum rural schools in Karnataka,” Sait said.

Talking about the internet connection in rural areas, he said: “To set up a fast internet connection in rural areas, one requires equipment and time, since the connection is poor in those places.”