New Delhi , India ( CNN ) -- India has unveiled a $ 35 computer prototype as part of its program to provide connectivity to its students and teachers at affordable prices . Kapil Sibal , the country 's human resources development minister , displayed what he called a low-cost computing and access device in New Delhi on Thursday . The ministry said the price would gradually fall to $ 10 apiece . India said connectivity to all its colleges and universities is key to achieving its education goals . Home to a billion-plus population , the country 's literacy rate stands at 65 percent , according to the 2001 census figures . Nevertheless , the South Asian nation has made giant strides in various areas since it opened up its economy in the early 1990s . The country ushered in a telecom revolution that delivered mobile telephony to nearly 600 million people in just a little more than a decade with highly competitive call tariffs . Now , India is preparing for another leap into the digital world . Recently , it auctioned off its airwaves for third-generation services to enable super-fast multimedia streaming of wireless . The move is aimed at bringing India 's online market on a par with its booming cell-phone business through Internet penetration with technology allowing quick access , data transfer and entertainment on mobile handsets . The country has announced plans to link up all its 250,000 village councils by 2012 in a bid to plug massive broadband divides between rural and urban communities as it emerges as one of the world 's few growth markets . Authorities say technical institutions involved in designing the new device are now setting up research to address price and quality issues in developing budget gadgets for students . `` The aim is to reach such devices to the students of colleges and universities , and to provide these institutions a host of choices of low-cost access devices around Rs 1,500 [ $ 35 ] or less in near future , '' the human resources ministry said at the launch of the computer . Ministry spokeswoman Mamata Varma said the government aimed to introduce the new touch-screen computing tool at higher educational institutions in 2011 . The ministry , she said , is expected to tender out contracts to private companies for mass production of its prototype . The Linux-based computer is equipped with an Internet browser , a PDF reader and several other facilities , she said .
India : Connectivity to all colleges is key to achieving education goals . Officials say the price would gradually fall to $ 10 apiece . The country 's literacy rate stands at 65 percent .