Digitalization is the process of converting information in the form of text, audio, video, or any combination of all three or more into digital format. The omnipresence of computers in our daily lives had its roots in the introduction of computers in Indian workspaces in the 1990s. Since then the proliferation has increased manifold and digitalization has become an integral part of lives. Indian IT exports have been one of the major contributing factors to our GDP and this will not slow any time soon.
Digitalization has certainly made out lives much more comfortable and easier than it was a couple of decades ago. Since 2015 Indian government focused on increasing digital proliferation to even more areas. With the initiatives like digital India, numerous services have been transferred into digital platforms. This is evident with some major examples like the Driving license and Learners license services which have been fully transferred to an online platform and all the paperwork can be completed without visiting the RTO. The candidates have to select their slot and attempt the test of the stipulated date. This is reduced middlemen corruption and made the process of obtaining a driver’s license much more seamless. After the advent of the Covid pandemic, there has been an unprecedented growth in digital platforms. People who were wary or unsure of digital platforms were forced to learn and adapt due to the unavailability of non-digitalized services due to restrictions. Schools have adapted to the age of online classes. The consumption of online coaching platforms has increased. Businesses are developing infrastructure to support their digital services. Small business owners are jumping on online platforms to reach a wider range of potential clients.
But there are still many discrepancies with digital proliferation. This growth and reach of digital are not equally distributed. India still faces many problems due to its weak infrastructure and limited internet connectivity. This phenomenon which is also called ‘Digital Divide’ has to be addressed quickly. Because many rural areas don’t have the facility of good internet connectivity and many rural communities have not been able to avail many benefits of this digital revolution. Government schools in rural areas have been affected the most during the pandemic as the schools there don’t have adequate funding to facilitate online classes. Many teachers are untrained to use digital tools and many students don’t have laptops or smartphones to really take advantage of online classes. But this problem is not just limited to rural and undeveloped areas and many people whom we call urban poor also face similar problems.
Government initiatives are commendable but there needs to be more focus on the equal distribution of these digital services. There has to be a greater emphasis on how the services can be availed by the weaker economic section of the society otherwise it will only exacerbate the issue of the digital divide that we are facing right now. Despite having the second biggest internet user base second to China, only half of our population has an active internet connection. A new policy needs to be implemented at a national level so that digital services can be availed equitably by every citizen of India.
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