Chennai, Jan 10 : The Tamil Nadu government's ambitious free laptop distribution scheme for college students has gathered pace, with the first phase set to be completed by the end of February.

The initial rollout aims to benefit 10 lakh students across the State, and nearly two lakh laptops have already reached eligible beneficiaries, officials said.

The programme, implemented through the Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT), is part of the State's wider push to bridge the digital divide and improve access to technology in higher education.

An international tender has been floated to procure a total of 20 lakh laptops, with the State government earmarking Rs 2,000 crore for the project.

According to officials, laptops supplied by multinational manufacturers such as Dell, Acer, and HP will be distributed to students.

The systems will be equipped with Intel i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 processors, 8 GB RAM, and 256 GB SSD storage. Each laptop will come preloaded with Windows 11, BOSS Linux, and MS Office 365, ensuring students have access to both proprietary and open-source platforms for their academic needs.

The laptops will also include a six-month free subscription to the AI-powered Perplexity Pro platform, aimed at supporting research and learning.

Beneficiaries will additionally receive a high-quality laptop bag along with the device.

A senior official from the Higher Education Department said beneficiary identification is almost complete across nearly 4,600 arts, science, engineering, agriculture, and medical colleges in Tamil Nadu.

"More than one lakh laptops have already been distributed. Colleges have submitted nearly all student details, which are being carefully scrutinised to ensure that every eligible student benefits from the scheme," the official said.

The second phase of distribution is expected in March, expanding the reach of the scheme further. Companies supplying the laptops will also establish service centres in all districts to provide after-sales support.

Details regarding the number and locations of these centres will be announced after the completion of the first phase.

Meanwhile, officials have cautioned students against believing rumours circulating on social media about online registration for the scheme, reiterating that beneficiary selection is being carried out exclusively through colleges.

/IANS