Assessing India’s Digital Landscape

Context

The National Sample Survey Office’s Comprehensive Annual Modular Survey (CAMS) 2022-23 marks a significant milestone in assessing India’s digital landscape at both household and individual levels. This survey provides valuable data on internet access, digital skills, and the persistent digital divide, offering critical insights for policymakers and stakeholders in India’s digital transformation journey.

Survey Overview

• Scope & Methodology: CAMS 2022-23 surveyed over 3 lakh households across rural and urban India, employing a two-stage stratified sampling design to ensure national representation.
• Objectives: The survey aimed to generate indicators related to internet and mobile access, digital skills, and socio-economic disparities in digital adoption.

Key Findings on Internet Access

Household Internet Penetration

• National Reach: About 76 percent of Indian households got access to the internet, which is an outstanding growth compared with 27 percent in 2014.
• Urban-Rural Demarcation: The Urban regions like Delhi experienced more than 90 percent of the family connectivity whereas states like Arunachal Pradesh were at about 60 percent.
• Socio-Economic Disparities: There were more households of general category with broadband access (84.1 percent) than Scheduled Castes (69.1 per cent ) and Scheduled tribes (64.8 per cent ).

Individual Internet Usage

• Mobile Phone Ownership: More than 94 per cent of households in the rural areas have access to a mobile phone, although individual usage is gender and caste biased.
• Rates of Internet Usage: Although 59.8 percent of the population over 15 years have abilities to use the internet, only 53.6 percent in the rural areas can use the internet as opposed to 74 percent in urban regions.

Digital Skills: Status and Gaps

Basic Digital Skills

• Email: Rural, 20 percent are able to send emails or receive emails and 40 percent of urban people can do it.
• Spreadsheet and Arithmetic Skills: Only about 40 percent of Indians and those above 15 years are able to carry out arithmetic operations in spreadsheets implying that they are not proficient in important online activities.
• Online banking: Digital financial literacy is at a low level where only 37.8 percent of the age belonging to 15+ can execute banking through the internet.

Advanced Digital Skills and Caste Disparities

• Caste-Based Differences: The most powerful caste adults in urban regions stand a greater chance of having gained advanced digital skills like using spreadsheets or making presentations than SC and ST communities.
• Youth Skills in 15-29 age group: Within the 15-29 age group, dominant caste youth are 3 times more likely to have one or more of the advanced digital skills, versus SC/ST youth.

The Digital Divide: Causes and Implications

Economic and Social Barriers

• Affordability: This is even though internet availability is high, cost is the problem to poorer households. Households in the lowest than the top percentage in the income bracket do not have broadband at all, and the percentage is 71.6 in the lowest bracket as opposed to 1.9 in the top bracket.
• Gender Disparities: Independently used mobile phones by rural women in the General category is only 25.3 percent, and even lesser in the SC/ST category owing to deep-rooted gender disparities.
• Caste differences: The historical socio-economic deprivation and lower education among SC, ST, and OBC communities offer lower access and digital literacy.

Functional Digital Literacy

• Skill Gaps: Just being able to do something, is not the same as doing it well. The capacity to use digital tools in education, work and financial service provision is low, particularly among the marginalized population.
• Employment Effect: The Digital economy excludes those without advanced digital skills and drives down opportunities of inclusion and inequality.

Policy Implications and Way Forward

• Targeted Interventions: Bridging the digital divide requires focused policies addressing affordability, education, and digital literacy, especially for women, SC/ST communities, and low-income households.
• Skill Development: Expanding digital literacy programs and integrating digital skills into formal education can enhance functional digital capabilities.
• Inclusive Growth: Ensuring equitable access and skill development is crucial for harnessing the full potential of India’s digital transformation and achieving inclusive socio-economic growth

Conclusion

CAMS 2022-23 highlights significant progress in internet access across India but also reveals persistent digital divides along economic, social, and regional lines. Addressing these disparities through targeted policies and robust digital skill development is vital for building an inclusive digital future for India.

Source: Press Reader

UPSC Mains Practice Question

Q. India’s digital transformation has reshaped governance, economy, and society, but also raised concerns about inclusion, privacy, and digital infrastructure. Critically examine the progress and challenges in India’s digital journey. (250 words)

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