The Pandemic Baring Digital Divide in India

New Delhi: The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the digital divide between private and government educational institutions. While private education institutions have been able to make a rather smooth transition towards an online mode of learning without losing much of their learning time, the government educational institutions are still bearing the brunt of not having access to e-learning solutions.[1]

The Covid-19 pandemic has forced the governments all around the world to temporarily shut down educational institutions in an attempt to contain the spread of the pandemic. In India, it has been close to more than 90 days and there is no certainty about when they will open. [2] While private education institutions were able to make a rather smooth transition towards an online mode of learning without losing much of their learning time, the government institutions, especially schools, are still bearing the brunt of not having access to e-learning solutions.[3]

The National Sample Survey (2017-18) reported a wide gender, class and digital divide in India. Only 23.8 percent of Indian households have access to internet. On top of that, there is a huge rural-urban disparity when it comes to access to facilities like internet or smartphone(s). The rural population makes up for 66 percent of India’s population but only 14.9 percent has access to internet as compared to 42 percent in urban areas. There is gender gap in access to information and resources, too. Females, who have access to mobile internet make up for only 16 percent of the population as compared to males, who are the primary users, making up for 36 percent of the population having access to mobile internet. [4]

Lack of e-learning resources, pegged with issues like inconsistent electricity, internet connections, inhospitable household conditions and gender disparity have put the future of more than 30 crore [5] Indian students in uncertainty. The closure of government schools especially has had a serious implication on a more basic issue than access to technology. The Mid-day Meal Scheme by the government was introduced as both an attempt to ensure that there is improvement in the nutritional levels among children and as a guarantee to have a positive impact on enrolment, retention and attendance in schools. [6] Closure of these schools has impacted as many as 12 crore children who were able to avail food under this scheme. [7]

The kind of problems that Covid-19 has exposed the educational sector to has direct implications on the efforts made by the government under Sustainable Development Goals. It has put SDG Goals 2, 4, and 5 (Zero Hunger, Quality Education and Gender Equality) in jeopardy. There is a need to increase the financial stimulus for the education sector while employing innovative solutions to get educational institutions back on track.

(Nandini Bhatnagar is an intern with OneWorld Foundation India)

References:

[1] Ibid

[2]  Covid-19 Pandemic: impact and strategies for education sector in India    https://government.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/education/covid-19-pandemic-impact-and-strategies-for-education-sector-in-india/75173099

[3] Ibid

[4] https://www.brookings.edu/blog/education-plus-development/2020/05/14/covid-19-in-india-education-disrupted-and-lessons-learned/

[5] Times of India. At 315 million, India has the most students in world. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/At-315-million-India-has-the-most-students-in-world/articleshow/37669667.cms

[6] https://niti.gov.in/sites/default/files/2019-01/SDX_Index_India_21.12.2018_2.pdf pg 35

[7] Lockdown is disrupting a generation’s education. What can be done? https://thewire.in/education/coronavirus-lockdown-education-students