Digital divide: 32% of Indian schools have functional computers, shows UDISE

Digitisation has been steadily advancing in India; however, most schools still lack basic infrastructure. According to the newly released UDISE 2023-24 report, only 32.4 per cent of India’s 14.7 lakh schools have access to functional computers. Furthermore, only 24.4 per cent of schools have smart classrooms, and 24.2 per cent rely on mobile phones for teaching purposes.

The UDISE, or Unified District Information System for Education, is a comprehensive database that collects and maintains data on schools across India. Every year, the Ministry of Education releases an annual report based on this data, providing insights into the state of school education in the country.

The data highlights a significant disparity between private and government schools in terms of digital infrastructure. Of the 3.3 lakh private unaided schools, 60 per cent are equipped with desktop computers, 40.8 per cent with laptops or notebooks and 34.6 per cent have smart classrooms. In contrast, only 21.4 per cent of the 10.1 lakh government schools have desktops, 22.2 per cent have tablets, and 21.2 per cent have smart classrooms.

Overall, basic amenities in schools have been improving. In 2019-20, 93.8 per cent of schools in India had functional drinking water, which increased to 95.9 per cent in 2023-24. Similarly, the availability of functional girls’ toilets improved from 92.4 per cent to 92.9 per cent, while access to functional electricity rose significantly from 80.2 per cent to 89.7 per cent during the same period.

Internet access surges

Availability of functional computer and internet facilities has also grown over the past five years, though only in about half of the schools in India. Functional computer increased from 37.1 per cent in 2019-20 to 50.9 per cent in 2023-24, while internet access saw a dramatic rise from 22.3 per cent to 53.9 per cent.

Among the States, Delhi, Kerala and Punjab have the highest percentage of schools with functional computer facilities, at 99.9 per cent, 99.1 per cent, and 96.8 per cent, respectively. In contrast, Bihar, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh have the lowest percentages, with only 18.4 per cent, 21.8 per cent, and 33.8 per cent of schools equipped with functional computer facilities, respectively.

Other factors

Pradnya Sheth, ICT Head at The Somaiya School, cited several reasons for the lack of digital infrastructure in schools. These include budgetary constraints, frequent power cuts, slow internet speeds, inadequate basic infrastructure, and the absence of sustained digital resources. “Many schools still rely on traditional teaching methods, and there is resistance to change due to a lack of professional development for educators,” Sheth added.

Aishwarya Rao, Director at The Vivekalaya Group of Institutions, noted, “Much of the government and aided schools don’t have adequate budgeting or training of faculty. There is also a lack of physical infrastructure to help support digital progress. It requires support on the front of education investment and revamping of campuses. What might help is an association with connectivity providers and outsourcing the computer labs in government schools.”

The Oxfam India Inequality Report 2022 highlighted that existing income inequality, gender divide and caste disparity make the use of digital infrastructure in schools largely unviable. “Digital divide is also exacerbated by prohibitive cost of EdTech products. An EdTech product on the Indian market is equivalent to 77.5 per cent of the per capita income for its lowest wealth quintile,” the report reads.

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