>>>any technology or project touted by the Indian government (and most governments, at that) is vaporware until shipped.<<<
It depends a lot on the leadership and what are the driving forces behind something like this. Take the Apollo program; you had a charismatic leader whose death had to be avenged by fulfilling his dream. Further, there was a clear vision and a sense of urgency along with new leadership conducive to carrying out that goal. All of that and more made it a success, but the minute that fervor wore off it was killed. Think about it.
Kapil Sibal is one of the most intense, charismatic and brilliant people I know. Yes, he is a politician and by virtue he is suspect, but it still holds true. The programs he set up do work. I am saying this since I benefited from one of them. He started, or pushed off IRIS (http://www.irissciencefair.com/about_iris.php) the indian version of ISEF (http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/). That program is simply amazing, and it gave me the exposure that I desperately needed.
So, maybe you never know. It might work out after all. Whether or not this will change the basic situation of the indian education system is another matter altogether.
I have to admit Sibal has been doing good things with his education portfolio such as Eliminating 10th Standard board exams and allowing students to pick optional subjects regardless of stream. Fingers crossed for this and other ambitious projects succeeding.
It depends a lot on the leadership and what are the driving forces behind something like this. Take the Apollo program; you had a charismatic leader whose death had to be avenged by fulfilling his dream. Further, there was a clear vision and a sense of urgency along with new leadership conducive to carrying out that goal. All of that and more made it a success, but the minute that fervor wore off it was killed. Think about it.
Kapil Sibal is one of the most intense, charismatic and brilliant people I know. Yes, he is a politician and by virtue he is suspect, but it still holds true. The programs he set up do work. I am saying this since I benefited from one of them. He started, or pushed off IRIS (http://www.irissciencefair.com/about_iris.php) the indian version of ISEF (http://www.societyforscience.org/isef/). That program is simply amazing, and it gave me the exposure that I desperately needed.
So, maybe you never know. It might work out after all. Whether or not this will change the basic situation of the indian education system is another matter altogether.