Peering into India’s Digital Divide

GS 2: Governance

Context:

The Comprehensive Modular Survey: Telecom 2025 (CMS), conducted by the NSS, offers deep insights into India’s evolving digital usage, marking a transition from basic access to a more meaningful form of digital participation.

Understanding the Digital Divide

Definition:
The digital divide denotes the disparity in access to digital technologies such as smartphones, internet connectivity, and digital literacy among various demographic groups.

Key Dimensions of the Divide:

• Access Disparity: Differences in mobile ownership and internet penetration.
• Usage Disparity: Varying digital engagement—such as usage for entertainment versus education or productivity.
• Skill Disparity: Limited ability to use ICT tools effectively, like creating documents or reporting cybercrimes.
• Gender Disparity: Lower digital access and usage among women and girls.

Findings from CMS 2025: Trends and Statistics

Access Patterns

• Mobile Usage: 97.1% of youth use mobile phones, with 73.4% owning them.
• Ownership Stats:
  • Urban Youth: 82%
  • Rural Youth: 69.3%
  • Male Youth: 83.3%
  • Female Youth: 63%

Usage Patterns

• 91.3% of young women now use the internet (up from 77.1% in 2022).
• 30.4% of youth use the internet mainly for entertainment; this is higher among females (36%).

Skill Proficiency

• 85.1% can send email attachments.
• Only 32.2% have made digital presentations; 22.9% have created documents.
• Online banking usage:
  • Overall: 68.7%
  • Female: 57.5% vs Male: 79.3%
  • Rural: 63.4% vs Urban: 79.7%

Connectivity Disparity

• 91.6% of urban households have internet access compared to 83.3% in rural areas.
• Fibre-optic connection reaches only 7.2% of homes; rural share is just 3.2%.

First-Generation Digital Inclusion Initiatives

1. BharatNet Project:
   Connected over 1.7 lakh Gram Panchayats with optical fibre, facilitating e-services like health and education in rural regions.
2. Digital India Programme:
   Aimed at comprehensive digital access through Common Service Centres (CSCs), e-lockers, and government services.
3. PMGDISHA Scheme:
   Trained over 6 crore rural citizens in basic digital skills under the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan.
4. JAM Trinity & UPI:
   Integration of Jan Dhan accounts, Aadhaar, and mobile phones enabled inclusive digital payments through the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).

Outcomes of the First Phase

• Widespread Mobile Usage:
  Around 97% of youth, including 92.7% in rural areas, now use mobile phones for communication and internet access.
• UPI’s Broad Adoption:
  UPI accounts for 80.7% of payment methods among youth, whereas net banking lags behind at just 0.7%.
• Mobile-First Access:
  Cheap smartphones and data packs made mobile internet the norm, especially in rural areas. Desktop and broadband use remains minimal.
• Improved Female Access:
  Female internet usage in rural areas surged to 91.3%, showing rising digital participation among women.

Persisting Challenges

1. Ownership Gap Among Women:
   Only 56.9% of rural young women own a mobile phone versus 81.2% of their male counterparts, limiting personal access.
2. Lack of Productive Digital Skills:
   While consumption is high, only 32.2% of youth created presentations and 22.9% drafted documents, indicating limited digital creation.
3. Gendered Dependence:
   Many women rely on phones owned by male relatives, restricting autonomy and privacy.
4. Limited Civic Awareness:
   Only 26.9% of youth know how to file cybercrime complaints; awareness is lower in rural and female demographics.
5. Financial Literacy Deficit:
   Just 18.8% of youth are familiar with both UPI and net banking, revealing the need for diversified digital financial knowledge.

Second-Generation Reforms: From Access to Empowerment

• Enhance Digital Skills:
  Shift focus towards enabling youth to use digital tools for creative and productive purposes like content creation and problem-solving.
• Women-Focused Programs:
  Equip Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and rural women with digital tools to engage in business, education, and health services.
• Strengthen Infrastructure:
  Improve fibre-optic connectivity and establish digital hubs in schools and Panchayats. Community Wi-Fi centres can further expand access.
• ICT in School Curriculum:
  Integrate cyber hygiene, document creation, and digital literacy into school education for early skill development.
• Expand Financial Skills:
  Provide training in UPI, net banking, and secure digital wallets to rural populations and women.
• Localized Awareness Drives:
  Use regional languages and culturally relevant content to promote digital usage for education, healthcare, employment, and governance.