S P I C

Chandigarh I.T. Reach out Programme (CITROP)

VISION

To enable the outstanding youth of Chandigarh to explore their untapped potential and to utilize the benefits of the technology revolution to empower all sections of society by bridging the digital divide. CITROP is an initiative of the Chandigarh Administration for enabling the under privileged sections of society to benefit from the applications of Information Technology. Launched under the 'IT for Society' initiative of the Administration as outlined in the IT Vision Document CITROP is an umbrella programme combining the various separate initiatives taken by leading technology companies like Intel, Infosys, Wipro, DELL, IBM and Microsoft for empowering the youth and young children in rural areas and slum areas of Chandigarh UT through IT knowledge. The aim is to bridge the digital divide and to take all sections of society together to the forefront of the knowledge revolution.

Programme Components

Under CITROP Chandigarh Administration is focusing on training the young students in schools and their teachers with help from leading technology companies. Outstanding students from among these are then planned to be adopted by leading technology Institutes like Punjab Engineering College for further training and then the plan is to utilize the upcoming Entrepreneur Development Centre (EDC) at Rajiv Gandhi Chandigarh Technology Park (RGCTP) for further tapping their potential. The EDC is to comprise of State-of-the-Art facilities for research and development with the help of leading companies and the aim is to be enable cutting edge technologies to be developed there, which can then be replicated elsewhere.

Two Levels of Implementation

• Basic Empowerment : This entails training of young children in schools which are located in rural areas or slum areas. Intel has already started its Intel Learn Programme in such schools wherein teachers are being trained and students are also being trained through these teachers with guidance by Intel experts.
  
  
• Special Programmes for outstanding students : Those students who are found to be outstanding would then be trained in the highest technologies so that their talent can be tapped and they can fully realize their potential. The idea is to produce scientists and technologists of outstanding caliber and not to encourage routine work. Under such programmes the PEC along with the leading companies mentioned above would identify and train such students and further encourage them to excel in specific areas as per their aptitude and talent.

Smart Schools

The Administration has already planned for the setting up of Smart Schools in Chandigarh for taking education to the next higher level in order to enable young children to learn in a State-of-the-Art, technology enabled environment. Four schools have been identified for this purpose initially. These are Government Model Senior Schools, Sector 16, 19, 33 and 37. Students of these schools would be given special training with the help of the technology companies which are partners in CITROP programme and the schools would be given special budgetary allocation for total automation and networking of their facilities.

Centres of Excellence

Under the programme the private companies would help the Administration in identifying schools with the potential to become Centres of Excellence wherein a large number of students of these schools would be trained and enabled to take their knowledge and talent to the next higher level. These Centres of Excellence would also be equipped with State-of-the-Art technology and would also be aided by the partner technology companies.

Holistic Approach

The Administration views the CITROP programme in a holistic manner and invites more technology companies to participate in its initiatives so that these programmes can then be replicated elsewhere. The idea is to create an environment which encourages innovation and not run of the mill activities. CITROP would enable technology partners as well as other like minded organizations and companies to participate in this mission.

C-Toss for Rural Children

Society for Promotion of Information Technology in Chandigarh ( SPIC) has taken the initiative to start C-TOSS program for rural children studying in all the UT villages to develop their skills for the ITES/BPO sector. A basic C-TOSS program is being run in the 15 Govt. High schools of the U.T. villages. This program has been designed specially keeping in mind the skill sets level of the students in the non english medium speaking schools. This C-TOSS program is a comprehensive program where first students will be given training to improve their basic English level and then they will be gradually upgraded to the existing C-TOSS School program.

C-Toss Training for School and College dropouts

Another initiative has been undertaken by Society for Promotion of Information Technology in Chandigarh (SPIC) to provide C-TOSS training to school drop outs in all the UT villages. This program has also been started for School and college dropouts of all 18 UT villages. The training program is being carried out with extra emphasis on their english speaking skills. This program is meant to give opportunity to the under privileged class to avail the benefits of this program so that these candidates can be absorbed in the industry. Classes for this are conducted in the school campus of the respective villages after school hours. This  program is meant to  impart free soft skills training to the rural youth which will expose them to soft skills along with Basic English grammar course and till now more than 450 students have been trained.