The Delhi Government is set to choose free software over proprietary software, especially in the education sector.

On Tuesday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met free software proponent Richard Stallman and Joseph C Mathew, the former IT advisor to Kerala government which adopted free software in all government establishments, said a television report.

The idea is to implement free software in the educational institutions in the first phase. For companies like Microsoft which focus heavily on educational institutions, this could be a setback. Microsoft has done deals with the AICTE & other schools to implement its software suite free of cost in educational institutions.

Stallman also met Education Minister Manish Sisodia, the report said. “It’s the general idea that the state and especially schools should move to free software,” Stallman told Television channel Mathrubhumi.

Mathew said that their political think tank has agreed in principle to using free software. The areas in which it will be used is yet to be finalised, said Mathew.

Earlier this week, the newly formed Aam Aadmi Party government banned foreign direct investment in retail. Kejriwal had said the he will not allow monopolies in retail industry.