A vibrant illustration of an Indian classroom with students and a teacher using digital devices, alongside a colorful bar chart labeled with data, symbolizing digital literacy as central to universal school education in India, referencing UDISE+ 2024-25 data.

UDISEPlus 2024-25.

Digital Literacy as the Key to Universal School Education in India: UDISE+ 2024-25 Insights

 

As India advances toward Vikasit Bharat by 2047, the promise of universal school education under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 hinges on one critical enabler: digital literacy. With 24.69 crore students enrolled across 14.71 lakh schools and over one crore teachers, the foundation is strong – but the digital divide threatens to leave millions behind, especially in rural and marginalised communities.

This article presents a data analysis using UDISE+ 2024-25 and NSSO CAMS 2022-23 to reveal the state of digital access, the roles of schools, teachers, and parents, and scalable solutions to close the gap.

The Digital Divide in Numbers: UDISE+ 2024-25 & NSSO Insights

Despite progress in basic infrastructure – 93.6% schools have electricity, 99.3% have drinking water – digital readiness remains uneven:

  • Computers in Schools: Only 64.7% of schools have functional computers (↑ from 57.2% in 2023-24). A large number of schools report that their systems are not working
  • Internet Connectivity: 63.5% schools are online (↑ from 53.9%), but rural schools lag urban by 29 percentage points. States like West Bengal (18.6%) and Meghalaya (19.7%) are critically behind.
  • Household Access (NSSO CAMS): 59.2% households own smartphones (53% rural, 70% urban). Internet use: 53.6% rural vs. 74% urban individuals (15+ years).
  • Gender & Youth Gap: Only 25% of rural women use the internet, compared with 51% in urban areas. Among 15–24-year-olds, 82% of rural youth use devices, but girls lag behind boys by 13%.

Result? SC/ST secondary GER: 82.0%/81.3% (vs. 78.7% general). Muslim students (14.2% enrollment, secondary level) face compounded digital exclusion – dropout at secondary level: 11.5%  – often due to the absence of digital tools.

Who Must Act? Roles of Schools, Teachers & Parents

  1. Schools: From Classrooms to Digital Hubs

Schools must evolve beyond infrastructure. Community ICT labs with 24/7 access, solar-powered systems, and shared devices can serve students and parents after hours.

Live Example: Digital India Program in Kalahandi, Odisha  – smart classrooms in 500+ rural schools reduced the impact of teacher shortages by 30% through virtual labs.

  1. Teachers: Digital Pedagogues & Mentors

With 54.2% female teachers and 3.2 million trained, the focus must shift to digital pedagogy. Teachers can train “Digital Sathis” (peer mentors) to teach basics and cyber safety.

Live Example: Odisha AI Policy 2025 – 10,000 teachers trained in AI tools, aiming for 90% school coverage by 2036.

  1. Parents: From Awareness to Active Participation

Only 21% rural women are digitally literate. SMS-based apps and community training can bridge this.

Live Example: Himachal’s e-Samwad — 70% parents now monitor child progress via SMS. In Ziro Valley, Arunachal, WhatsApp parent groups fund school tech via community sales.

Proven Initiatives That Work (2024–25)

  • PMGDISHA: Trained six crore rural citizens (40% women). 40% now use e-governance.
  • Google Internet Saathi: 1 crore women trained annually. In Bihar, of households have internet ↑25%.
  • CRY Digital Classrooms: 500+ solar labs in Rajasthan – girls’ enrollment ↑15%.
  • Avanti Sankalp (Haryana): Video + peer learning for 10,000 low-income students. Dropout ↓18%.
  • BharatNet Phase III: 2.14 lakh villages connected. Rural GER ↑5% in pilot zones.

Conclusion: A Collective Digital Awakening

NEP 2020’s vision of 100% GER by 2030 is within reach – but only if we treat digital literacy as a social investment. With one-third of schools offline and a rural-urban usage gap of about 29%, the time for action is now.

Schools must build labs. Teachers must upskill. Parents must engage. Together, we can empower 10 crore marginalised learners by 2030.

Prof. Arun C. Mehta’s lifelong work through UDISE+ reminds us: Data is not just numbers – it’s the roadmap to inclusion. Let’s follow it.

Suggested Readings

  1. UDISE+ 2024-25 Official Report
  2. Prof. Arun C. Mehta’s UDISE+ 2024-25 Analysis
  3. NSSO CAMS 2022-23 Key Indicators
  4. ASER 2024: Beyond Basics – Pratham
  5. National Education Policy 2020
  6. Odisha AI in Education Policy 2025
  7. e-Samwad Parent Portal – Himachal Pradesh
  8. PM Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan
  9. Internet Saathi Initiative
  10. CRY India Digital Classrooms
  11. Avanti Fellows Sankalp Program
  12. BharatNet Official Portal

© 2025 Education for All in India | Maintained by Prof. Arun C. Mehta