Dell India, powered by the cause of increasing PC access and adoption, in the country has announced the launch of Aarambh – a pan-India initiative aimed at spearheading the use of the personal computer (PC) for education. The project is founded on the understanding that exposure to interactive methods of learning in the developmental years, most easily delivered by using a PC, contributes to the well-rounded growth of a student.
Through Aarambh, Dell will engage with three key audiences – students, teachers and parents – in a series of activities meant to build their confidence and familiarity with using the PC. The programme aims to enable both parents and teachers to actively aid in the educational development of the child, while using a PC and create an encompassing ecosystem and supportive background for the child. The year-long project aims to reach 1 million students and 1,00,000 teachers across 5,000 schools; and 2,00,000 parents in 75 cities across the country. In a larger context, PC adoption can enable the nurturing of digital citizens who will serve as the building blocks for a rapidly-developing Digital India.
Reiterating that the current household PC penetration in India has stagnated at anywhere between 9% and 10% – a number that needs grassroot attention. Dell Aarambh aspires to represent the use of PC learning to unlock potential for young students. More importantly, it aims to establish that parents and teachers, who are key influencers in a child’s formative years, can aid their overall growth by participating in the adoption of PC technology for learning.
Dell has been working at the grassroots level to grow PC penetration in the country through several strategic initiatives. Dell’s “Go Rural†has been a successful and inclusive programme which takes the PC experience in mobile Dell Exclusive Stores to Tier 3 – 4 towns. To gain a deeper understanding on the low rates of household PC penetration, last year Dell commissioned a study conducted by Greyhound Research that revealed the PC’s relevance for emerging India. Respondents called out the PC as a key tool for content creation but also presented a dichotomy in not always being owners of the personal computers. Dell’s belief in presenting the contribution of a PC in the day-to-day life of India’s future youth and its and positive impact in building a truly digital workforce, has laid the foundation towards the conceptualization of Aarambh.
Ritu Gupta, Director – Marketing, Consumer & Small Business, Dell India, said, “Aarambh is our way of saying that the beginning of the journey of becoming technology-aware and technology-enabled is marked by the adoption of the personal computer. Aarambh will build conversations at an individual level, about the role the PC can play in making young minds future ready. Our efforts will be driven towards building engagement through on-ground activities and social media conversations; with students, teachers and parents alike on how to best utilize the technology advantage. We were keen to make sure that the project sees unrestricted access and for this reason have developed the ‘Dell Aarambh – PC for Education’ website which will act as a knowledge hub through the course of the year.â€
