KEO PC is ready for rollout, deployment across Karnataka: Sharath Bache Gowda

KEONICS Chairman Sharath Bache Gowda | Photo Credit: Photo File

Karnataka State Electronics Development Corporation Limited (KEONICS), the state-owned electronics and IT promoter, on Friday announced that it is all set for the nationwide rollout and deployment of its recently designed and developed ‘KEO PC’.

KEO is an open source, low cost, AI ready, plug-and-play mass personal computing system created by KEONICs to make technology accessible and affordable to schools, students, households and small and micro enterprises in rural Karnataka.

In about a week

Sharath Bache Gowda, chairman of KEONICS, told The Hindu, “We are all set for the nationwide rollout of KEO computers, which could be in a week. Then we will go straight into deployment and the plans are ready.”

To begin with, KEONICS would deploy KEO PCs at 1,500 Arivu Kendras (Gram Panchayat Knowledge Centers and Village Libraries). “We will select each precinct in each constituency and the best performing Arivu Kendras in the region. Each precinct will get at least four to five computers.”

According to Mr. Bach Gowda, KEONICS was also considering deploying 1,000 KEO PC units in 200 constituencies. “We are selecting a government residential school in each district and each school will see five or six deployments. We are selecting suitable deployment locations so that more students, teachers, ordinary citizens and small businesses in rural villages can use these systems conveniently and frequently,” he added.

The shipment of another 1000 units of KEO PCs would go to government schools in the educationally backward Kalyana region of Karnataka. Shikshana, an NGO currently working with government schools and Arivu Kendra in rural Karnataka, has been selected as a partner to deploy KEONICS.

It may cost more

Mr Bache Gowda said the computers produced in the first batch will be sold at a previously agreed price of ₹18,999 per unit. However, the next series of KEO computers would become more expensive to produce, as the memory would be more complex and expensive to obtain.

Both RAM and SSD prices have skyrocketed largely because of the massive AI boom, which has forced manufacturers to prioritize hyper-expensive AI chips over consumer PC components. Global computer memory prices started rising noticeably from mid to late 2025, accelerating drastically to intense market growth in the fourth quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026.

“Fortunately, last November we placed our orders for the memory to build our PC. But the upcoming series of KEO PCs will be at least 20-30% more expensive. They may be priced around ₹25,000 per unit,” he explained.

Published – 24 Jul 2026 23:49 IST