Digital Libraries in Schools in India: A Comprehensive Analysis Based on UDISEPlus 2021-22 Data
Abstract
The article analyzes the presence and significance of digital libraries in schools across India based on UDISEPlus 2021-22 data. It highlights the importance of digital libraries in enhancing education, explores the provisions and norms for digital libraries under the Samagra Shiksha initiative, and analyzes the availability of digital libraries at both the all-India and state levels. The article focuses on significant states, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Himachal Pradesh. Finally, it presents conclusions and implications from the analysis and suggests follow-up activities for further development in this area.
Introduction
Digital libraries have become integral to modern education, revolutionizing traditional learning methods. The accessibility and vast resources offered by digital libraries can potentially transform teaching and learning practices in schools in India. Digital libraries play a crucial role in enhancing the learning experience, facilitating equitable access to educational resources for students, and supporting teachers in delivering effective instruction. They offer several advantages, such as increased access to e-books, interactive learning materials, and online research databases. Digital libraries also promote independent learning, critical thinking, and information literacy skills among students.
Digital-Library-in-Schools-in-India
The Samagra Shiksha initiative, launched by the Government of India in 2018, recognizes the importance of digital libraries in schools. It provides guidelines to ensure the availability of digital libraries and defines the infrastructure requirements, resource allocation, training programs, and monitoring mechanisms, which aim to create an enabling environment for schools to establish and maintain digital libraries effectively.
The Present Article
This article highlights the significance of the availability of digital libraries in schools in India, based on UDISEPlus 2021-22 data. It highlights their role in facilitating quality education, and the analysis is presented at the all-India and state levels.
Analysis at the All-India Level
Using the UDISEPlus 2021-22 data, this section comprehensively analyzes digital library availability at the all-India level. It presents statistical data on the total number of schools, schools with digital library availability, and the percentage of schools having access to digital libraries. The analysis encompasses government schools, government-aided schools, Private Unaided schools, and other schools.
The UDISEPlus 2021-22 data shows that the overall percentage of schools in India with digital library availability is relatively low. It may be recalled that there are about 14,89,115 schools in India, and as many as 32,762 schools have had a digital library in 2021-22. However, there are variations between different categories of schools. Government schools have a lower percentage (1.2 percent) of digital library availability compared to government-aided schools (3.2 percent) and Private Unaideds chools (5.1 percent), which indicates that a significant number of government schools still need to integrate digital libraries into their systems and adopt digital resources to improve their students’ learning experiences. Private Unaided schools showcased the highest percentage of digital library availability, indicating that the private education sector has significantly incorporated technology and digital resources into its curriculum. Overall, the data highlights the importance of bridging the digital divide across all categories of schools in India. Efforts should be made to increase the percentage of schools with digital library availability and ensure equitable access to digital resources for students nationwide.
More than the availability of digital libraries in the school, the number of digital libraries that are made available in a school, and their utilization, but information on these parameters is not readily available.
State-Level Analysis in Major States
This section focuses on specific states and their digital library availability. The analysis includes the total number of schools, schools with digital library availability, and the percentage of schools accessing digital libraries in each state. Furthermore, it explores any notable trends or variations observed among these states.
Here are some statistics on digital libraries in government schools for major states in India, based on the data provided from UDISEPlus 2021-22:
Kerala: In Kerala, approximately 6.8 percent of government schools have digital library availability; this indicates that many government schools in Kerala have taken steps to integrate digital resources and technology into their learning environments. This move can potentially enhance students’ access to vast educational materials and transform how knowledge is imparted in the state.
Punjab: The state of Punjab has made notable progress regarding digital library availability in government schools. Around 6.4 percent of government schools in Punjab have implemented digital libraries. By adopting this approach, the state provides its students access to various digital resources to supplement their learning and efficiently facilitate research activities.
Sikkim: Sikkim stands out as a state with a remarkably high percentage of government schools equipped with digital libraries. Approximately 7.3 percent of government schools in Sikkim have implemented this technology. By embracing digital libraries, Sikkim is paving the way for enhanced learning experiences and empowering its students with a wealth of digital resources and information.
Tamil Nadu: The overall percentage of government schools with digital library availability in Tamil Nadu is unavailable. Enhancing the availability of digital libraries in government schools in Tamil Nadu can contribute to the state’s ongoing efforts to provide quality education and access to educational resources for all students.
Here are some statistics on digital libraries in Private Unaidedschools for major states in India, based on the data provided from UDISEPlus2021-22:
Kerala: Approximately 5.1 percent of private, unaided schools have digital library availability in Kerala, which indicates that many private, unaided schools in Kerala have taken steps to integrate digital resources and technology into their learning environments. This move can potentially enhance students’ access to vast educational materials and transform how knowledge is imparted in the state.
Punjab: The state of Punjab has made notable progress regarding digital library availability in private, unaided schools. Around 6.4 percent of Private Unaided schools in Punjab have implemented digital libraries. By adopting this approach, the state is providing its students in Private Unaided schools access to digital resources that can supplement their learning and efficiently facilitate research activities.
Sikkim: Sikkim stands out as a state with many Private Unaided schools equipped with digital libraries. Approximately 7.3 percent of Private Unaided schools in Sikkim have implemented this technology. By embracing digital libraries, Sikkim is paving the way for enhanced learning experiences and empowering students in private, unaided schools with a wealth of digital resources and information.
Number of Schools Having Digital Library Available: UDISEPlus2021-22
|
India/ State/ UT |
Total Schools | Schools having Digital Library Availability | Percentage of Schools having Digital Library Availability | ||||||||||||
| Total Number of Schools | Total Government Schools | Total Government-Aided Schools | Total Private
Unaided Schools |
Other Schools | Total Number of Schools | Total Government Schools | Total Government-Aided Schools | Total Private
Unaided Schools |
Other Schools | Total Number of Schools | Total Government Schools | Total Government-Aided Schools | Total Private
Unaided Schools |
Other Schools | |
| India | 1489115 | 1022386 | 82480 | 335844 | 48405 | 32762 | 12252 | 2628 | 16991 | 891 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 3.2 | 5.1 | 1.8 |
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 416 | 342 | 2 | 72 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 2.8 | ||
| Andhra Pradesh | 61948 | 45137 | 1542 | 15058 | 211 | 3110 | 1039 | 27 | 2035 | 9 | 5 | 2.3 | 1.8 | 13.5 | 4.3 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 3603 | 2985 | 68 | 503 | 47 | 32 | 12 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 1.5 | 3.8 | |
| Assam | 60859 | 45490 | 3841 | 5852 | 5676 | 314 | 204 | 8 | 94 | 8 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 0.1 |
| Bihar | 93165 | 75558 | 742 | 8097 | 8768 | 961 | 379 | 10 | 361 | 211 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 4.5 | 2.4 |
| Chandigarh | 233 | 123 | 7 | 76 | 27 | 24 | 9 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 10.3 | 7.3 | 19.7 | ||
| Chhattisgarh | 56512 | 48743 | 417 | 7063 | 289 | 762 | 483 | 6 | 271 | 2 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 3.8 | 0.7 |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli & Daman and Diu | 460 | 388 | 8 | 63 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 4.8 | ||
| Delhi | 5619 | 2762 | 247 | 2610 | 0 | 274 | 126 | 2 | 146 | 0 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 0.8 | 5.6 | |
| Goa | 1510 | 814 | 557 | 139 | 0 | 22 | 3 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 2.3 | 4.3 | |
| Gujarat | 53851 | 34699 | 5590 | 13559 | 3 | 1347 | 464 | 85 | 798 | 0 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 5.9 | |
| Haryana | 23726 | 14562 | 16 | 8261 | 887 | 685 | 87 | 0 | 560 | 38 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 6.8 | 4.3 | |
| Himachal Pradesh | 18028 | 15380 | 2646 | 2 | 232 | 96 | 0 | 136 | 0 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 5.1 | |||
| Jammu and Kashmir | 28805 | 23173 | 1 | 5526 | 105 | 337 | 112 | 0 | 224 | 1 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 4.1 | 1 | |
| Jharkhand | 44855 | 35840 | 1175 | 1559 | 6281 | 844 | 545 | 5 | 95 | 199 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 6.1 | 3.2 |
| Karnataka | 76450 | 49679 | 7110 | 19650 | 11 | 2830 | 597 | 225 | 2007 | 1 | 3.7 | 1.2 | 3.2 | 10.2 | 9.1 |
| Kerala | 16240 | 5010 | 7183 | 3164 | 883 | 1203 | 341 | 532 | 276 | 54 | 7.4 | 6.8 | 7.4 | 8.7 | 6.1 |
| Ladakh | 978 | 838 | 28 | 112 | 0 | 40 | 39 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 0.9 | ||
| Lakshadweep | 38 | 38 | 3 | 3 | 7.9 | 7.9 | |||||||||
| Madhya Pradesh | 125582 | 92695 | 740 | 30345 | 1802 | 2611 | 1060 | 8 | 1504 | 39 | 2.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 5 | 2.2 |
| Maharashtra | 109605 | 65639 | 24037 | 19268 | 661 | 5307 | 2059 | 1325 | 1879 | 44 | 4.8 | 3.1 | 5.5 | 9.8 | 6.7 |
| Manipur | 4617 | 2889 | 583 | 1010 | 135 | 45 | 13 | 1 | 29 | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 2.9 | 1.5 |
| Meghalaya | 14600 | 7783 | 4172 | 2120 | 525 | 106 | 20 | 65 | 18 | 3 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 0.6 |
| Mizoram | 3911 | 2563 | 230 | 1034 | 84 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.2 | ||
| Nagaland | 2718 | 1960 | 0 | 757 | 1 | 34 | 16 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 100 | |
| Odisha | 62291 | 49072 | 5807 | 6104 | 1308 | 1732 | 1229 | 167 | 278 | 58 | 2.8 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 4.6 | 4.4 |
| Puducherry | 736 | 422 | 33 | 281 | 0 | 31 | 7 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 4.2 | 1.7 | 8.5 | ||
| Punjab | 27701 | 19259 | 450 | 7978 | 14 | 1763 | 1224 | 7 | 531 | 1 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 1.6 | 6.7 | 7.1 |
| Rajasthan | 106373 | 68948 | 0 | 34826 | 2599 | 2268 | 396 | 0 | 1862 | 10 | 2.1 | 0.6 | 5.4 | 0.4 | |
| Sikkim | 1259 | 864 | 19 | 376 | 0 | 71 | 63 | 0 | 8 | 5.6 | 7.3 | 2.1 | |||
| Tamil Nadu | 58801 | 37636 | 8323 | 12396 | 446 | 0 | |||||||||
| Telangana | 43083 | 30023 | 700 | 12193 | 167 | 772 | 236 | 6 | 526 | 4 | 1.8 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 4.3 | 2.4 |
| Tripura | 4929 | 4262 | 43 | 363 | 261 | 34 | 29 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.4 | |
| Uttar Pradesh | 258054 | 137024 | 8113 | 97808 | 15109 | 4243 | 1069 | 122 | 2873 | 179 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 1.5 | 2.9 | 1.2 |
| Uttarakhand | 22815 | 16484 | 608 | 5225 | 498 | 331 | 89 | 10 | 216 | 16 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1.6 | 4.1 | 3.2 |
| West Bengal | 94744 | 83302 | 88 | 9750 | 1604 | 375 | 190 | 3 | 173 | 9 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 3.4 | 1.8 | 0.6 |
Source: UDISE+ 2021-22
The state-wise analysis highlights the varying availability of digital libraries in schools across India, considering different school managements. While some states show relatively higher digital library adoption rates, others lag. Government schools generally have lower digital library implementation rates than Private Unaidedones. These findings underline the importance of strategic efforts in bridging the digital divide gap and ensure equal access to digital resources for students from all backgrounds. By investing in infrastructure, teacher training, and resource allocation, India can actively enhance digital library implementation in schools. Implementing effective policies, providing adequate training, and fostering collaborations between stakeholders can further enhance the quality of education in India through digital libraries.
Future Initiatives
A few of the future probable initiatives are listed below:
- Conduct extensive research to gather missing data on digital library availability for Private Unaided schools in several states.
- Encourage collaborations between authorities, technology companies, and stakeholders, which may help improve schools’ digital resources.
- Facilitate training programs for teachers to enhance their digital literacy skills, enabling them to leverage digital libraries in their teaching practices effectively.
- Develop a monitoring mechanism to assess the impact of digital libraries on student learning outcomes and make necessary improvements based on the findings.
- Advocate for policymakers to allocate resources and formulate policies that promote the sustainable management of digital libraries in schools.
Conclusion & Implications
The study reveals the varying availability and accessibility of digital libraries among different states in India. It emphasizes the importance of consistent efforts to ensure equal access to digital resources in schools. The introduction of digital libraries has the potential to revolutionize teaching and learning practices, empowering both students and educators. Therefore, prioritizing the implementation of digital libraries and conducting further research and collaboration are necessary to maximize their impact on education.
By enhancing access to digital libraries in schools, students can benefit from a broader spectrum of educational materials, improved research capabilities, and an enriched learning experience. Integrating digital libraries across the nation can contribute to advancing education and better prepare students for a technology-driven future. In conclusion, it is crucial to prioritize and invest in implementing digital libraries in schools, especially in government schools, to ensure that students from all backgrounds have equal access to digital resources and receive a quality education that aligns with the evolving technological landscape.
