Is the future of Aakash suspect, following a feud between its makers?

IT device maker Datawind today said the proposed product testing criteria by IIT (Jodhpur) cannot be applied to the first version of Aakash tablets, the world’s cheapest, supplied by the company.

IIT (Jodhpur)’s test criteria include conditions like water resistance whereby a unit of Aakash tablet will be placed in a rain chamber supplying rain at a rate of no less than 4 inches per hour.

Datawind CEO Sunit Singh Tuli said that the test specifications have been proposed by the IIT after the tender document was submitted and were not a part of the original tender.

“The price point at which Aakash tablets are being made cannot be compared to USD 1000 laptop. We have supplied product with better specification than what was issued by IIT Jodhpur,” Tuli said. Test criteria made by the IIT is based on military specification of a rugged product, he said, adding, “We have objected to it that millitary specifications do not make sense.”

IIT was given the responsibility to procure USD 35 (about Rs 2,000) tablet under ‘The National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technologies (NME-ICT) of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) programme.

Tuli said that the company has communicated its view to the concerned IIT Director and he is confident that changes in the proposed test criteria will be made soon.

On recent reports of complication in the Letter of Credit issued to the company by the government, Tuli said it is valid till end of January and as after resolving issue of test criteria, it will be extended further.

“I am confident that Letter of Credit will be extended,” Tuli said.

The Letter of Credit will enable Datawind to get payment from banks after the government approves it and communicates to banks for making payments.

Tuli said the government is committed for a long-term and full supply of 1 lakh unit from Datawind.

PTI