Digital infrastructure access needs attention

The latest report of the National Statistical Organisation (NSO) survey on access to internet and digital devices and facilities across states presents a picture that should cause concern, especially when Covid-19 and the measures to fight it have badly affected normal life and activities. It shows not only that the national digital access levels are very poor but also that there are major disparities among states in this respect.

The survey was done with the household as the unit. It showed that only 10% of the households in the country have a computer — whether a desktop, laptop or tablet. Only 25% of the households have internet facilities, accessed through a fixed or mobile network using any device, including smartphones. The global average is near 50% and in the developed countries it is over 80%, and that shows how much the country has to move forward in digital infrastructure and facilities.   

The disparities among states and classes and between urban and rural areas are huge. Only in Delhi, Kerala and Himachal Pradesh over 50% of the households have access to the internet, when urban and rural areas are taken together. In Karnataka, it is less than 20% and it is in the company of Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh in this respect. Net connectivity is less than 10% in many states.

About 42% of households have internet access in urban areas while only 15% are connected to the internet in villages. These figures show how online education will not be available for most students in the country.

Most of them do not have access to online teaching, zoom classes and digital textbooks. Even if mobile phones and laptops are available, there is no net connectivity in most places. Lack of power or its unreliable supply adds to the problem. Digital literacy is also low. Not more than 20% of people even in the young age group have basic digital literacy, which is essential to use digital facilities. 

The plan to connect all villages with optical fibre network has lagged in most states. Enhancement of digital infrastructure and facilities and access to devices is most important for all areas like the economy, and especially for education. Special efforts have to be made to make online education available to all students.

The situation in every state and district needs to be studied and appropriate programmes should be made to create infrastructure and facilities to provide computers, laptops or mobiles to students wherever necessary. This has to be done urgently, and Karnataka has to pay special attention to this as its position is poor, in spite of Bengaluru’s reputation as the country’s Silicon Valley.