63.5% of Indian Schools Now Online, Yet Over 25,000 Languish without Electricity

Digital Divide Exposed: A UDISE+ Analysis of NEP 2020’s Digital Imperative

 

Introduction

Picture a rural classroom in a state like Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand etc. where a teacher uploads student data via a distant cyber café due to absent/weak internet, contrasting with an urban Delhi school seamlessly managing APAAR records online. This stark digital divide threatens India’s ambition for universal, technology-enabled education.

The Right to Education (RTE) Act of 2009 guarantees free education for ages 6-14, while Samagra Shiksha (2018) and NEP 2020 aim for a tech-infused ecosystem, targeting 100% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) by 2030. UDISE+ data shows progress: computer access rose by seven percentage points to 64.7% and internet by 9.6 points to 63.5% from 2023-24 to 2024-25, covering 1,471,473 schools. Yet, ~94,000 schools lack electricity, and one-third remain digitally disconnected, impeding real-time systems like SDMIS and APAAR.

This article exposes the digital divide, celebrating gains while addressing barriers to NEP’s vision. Objectives include: (1) analysing infrastructure trends (2022-23 to 2024-25); (2) mapping rural-urban and interstate divides; (3) evaluating impacts on UDISE+ and administrative systems; (4) proposing edtech solutions. For edtech firms, this represents a multi-billion-dollar opportunity in hybrid tools; for tech-savvy readers, it underscores AI’s role in equity.

Literature Review and Theoretical Framework

UDISE+, evolving from DISE under Prof. Arun C. Mehta’s stewardship at NIEPA, is India’s cornerstone EMIS, tracking 1.47 million schools. Mehta’s analyses highlight un-computed NEP indicators, like retention and digital access, critical for universal education. Global frameworks, like UNESCO’s ICT Competency Framework, advocate technology integration, while NSSO surveys link infrastructure gaps to enrolment drops.

The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) frames digital adoption, where perceived usefulness is curtailed by absent computers/internet, forcing reliance on external BRCs or cyber cafés. Equity theory calls for prioritizing underserved rural schools. Prior studies underexplore post-2023 trends; this article leverages UDISE+ 2024-25 to address this gap.

Data Sources

Data sources include UDISE+ 2024-25 datasets (1,471,473 schools), prior years (2022-23, 2023-24), and Prof. Mehta’s analyses. Secondary sources: PIB, NSSO. Methods involve descriptive statistics (e.g., percentage changes), comparative analysis (rural-urban, interstate), and qualitative case studies.

Findings: Infrastructure Gains and Persistent Gaps

Subsection 5.1: Progress in Digital Infrastructure

Samagra Shiksha has driven digital gains across 1,471,473 schools in 2024-25, compared to 1,47,891 in 2023-24. Key metrics include:

• Electricity: 93.6% of schools (1,376,908) have electricity in 2024-25, up from 91.8% (1,351,000) in 2023-24, a 1.8-point increase adding ~25,000 schools. Functionality issues persist in ~10-15% of rural electrified schools.
• Computers: 64.7% of schools (951,868) have computers in 2024-25, up from 57.7% (850,000) in 2023-24, a 7-point jump covering ~101,000 additional schools. ~15% of computers are non-functional, widening the effective gap.
• Internet: 63.5% of schools (933,987) have internet in 2024-25, up from 53.9% (793,000) in 2023-24, a 9.6-point increase benefiting ~140,987 schools. Rural schools lag by 20-30%.

These gains, driven by ~₹10,000 crore in Samagra Shiksha investments, support NEP’s tech vision, with combined computer and internet access rising from ~45% to ~55%. Let India have a pragmatic plan to ensure that all the 1.47 million schools have computers and internet connectivity in the next five years.

Basic amenities like drinking water (99.3%) and girls’ toilets (97.3%) are near-universal.

Metric	2023-24 (%)	Schools (2023-24)	2024-25 (%)	Schools (2024-25)	Change (Points)
Electricity	91.8	1,351,000	93.6	1,376,000	+1.8
Computers	57.7	850,000	64.7	951,000	+7.0
Internet	53.9	793,000	63.5	934,000	+9.6

Subsection 5.3: Rural-Urban and Interstate Divides

Rural schools (~70% of total) lag by 10-15% in digital access, with ~500,000 schools (one-third) lacking computers or internet in 2024-25, down from ~600,000 in 2023-24. This correlates with primary GER stagnation (90.9%) and secondary dropout rates (11.5%). Interstate: Kerala exceeds 90% internet, while West Bengal (18.6%) trail. These gaps force reliance on block-level resource centers (BRCs) or cyber cafés for UDISE+ data uploads, delaying SDMIS and APAAR integration. Zero-enrolment schools (7,993 in 2024-25, down 38%) often cite infrastructure deficits.

NEP 2020’s Digital Push and Expert Perspectives

Infrastructure gains align with NEP’s NETF vision, but ~500,000 schools lacking digital tools threaten real-time UDISE+, SDMIS, and APAAR functionality. Prof. Mehta warns: “Digital gaps make universal education by 2030 challenging, especially for primary efficiency.” Edtech leaders suggest offline AI tools to bypass connectivity issues, while UNESCO stresses global equity parallels. For firms, opportunities include AI-driven UDISE+ analytics and solar-powered devices, aligning with a $10 billion edtech market.

Recommendations and Pathways Forward

• Policy: Achieve 100% electrification by 2027; expand BharatNet for rural internet.
• Edtech-Specific: Develop offline AI tutors and SDMIS-compatible apps; pilot via Samagra Shiksha.
• Monitoring: Enhance UDISE+ with real-time digital metrics to streamline APAAR/PEN.

Concluding Observations

India’s digital strides (64.7% computers, 63.5% internet) signal progress, but 94,000 schools without electricity and one-third lacking digital tools hinder UDISE+, SDMIS, and APAAR systems. Edtech can bridge this divide, ensuring NEP 2030’s vision.