Digital literacy in India

Abstract 

Digital literacy is for a developing country like India. Digital literacy brings independence of easy accessibility of the internet among the people of urban as well as rural areas. The article discusses the need for digital literacy.

Keywords: digital literacy, need of digital literacy.

Introduction 

During the COVID-19 we all completely depended on the internet. Due to the safety of the people, the governments of different nations opposed the lockdown. Knowledge of the web world became a boon for an individual during this tough time. But we are also facing the challenges of accessibility of the internet. People are not aware or lack knowledge about using the internet. In India 26.8% of the population is not literate and they are suffering a lot due to lack of knowledge of the internet (census of 2011). Digital literacy is easy and helps every person. We all have smart phones and they consist of all the applications and are illiterate, literate and well qualified. Now we need to focus on how we can uplift digital literacy in rural as well as urban areas. 

Digital literacy:

As the word literacy implies, it involves some kind of basic knowledge or the ability to use the digital medium. However, digital literacy encompasses more than just knowledge of how to use the internet.

The ability of accessing the internet and using different applications to communicate, evaluate, create, share and deal with the information. It is not only about having knowledge about application and also the method of dealing technology with ethics.

The American Library Association’s digital-literacy task force offers this definition: “Digital literacy is the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills.

In India, across over 6,50,000 villages and 2,50,000 panchayats represented by 3 million panchayat members. Approx 40% population is living below poverty line, illiteracy rate is more than 25-30% and digital literacy is almost non-existent among more than 90% of India’s population.

Need of digital literacy

  • To enhance the digital skills: In India, a good number of the population lives in villages and small towns. They have technology but they don’t know how to use that technology for the betterment of their lives. Digital literacy helps to learn the access to technology efficiency.
  • To ensure security from online frauds: Sometimes people are not aware about online frauds. Especially, elderly, women and children are especially easy targets to become prey. Digital literacy helps them to learn to avoid this kind of fraud.
  • To increase the rate of using online banking: India is a developing country. Having knowledge of online banking and transition is important. India launched many applications such as BHIM and UMANG. Digital literacy helps an individual to access these applications and go cashless.
  • Education purpose: Rising invasion of digital media in the society pushes the need for digital literacy among students. So there is a great need for educating the power of the digital medium so students can play a vital role in defining their ability to succeed both in academic and personal life.
  • Digital citizenship: Digital literacy is one component of being a digital citizen – a person who is responsible for how they utilize technology to interact with the world around them.
  • Pedagogy:  It is up to us educators to decipher the best methods for teaching digital literacy and to help the students become fluent in this new type of literacy.

Opportunities of digital literacy 

  • Help in inclusion: Digital literacy helps in inclusion of people of different backgrounds. During COVID-19, the internet helps to reach the help of needy people. Digital literacy inclusive growth by enabling access to education, healthcare and government services to all the citizens of the country. People can get better advice on health services. Those who can’t afford school/ colleges can get a chance at an online education.
  • Less consumption of time: Opening accounts in banks, submitting bills and fees was a time consuming work but after digitalization the things got easier and became less time consuming.
  • It can help small businesses. People can use online tools to expand their business.
  • It can play a key role in GDP growth. According to analysts, digital India could boost GDP up to $1 trillion by 2025. According to a World Bank report a 10% increase in mobile and broadband penetration increases  in capita GDP by 0.81% and 1.31% respectively in developing countries (World bank report 2017).
  • Once the change is brought it could change the Indian education system, with all the Gram Panchayats having access to the internet will provide access to different teaching aids and materials and empower everyone and increase the literacy levels in the country.

Challenges of digital literacy

  •  Slow internet: The daily internet speed, as well as Wi-Fi hotspots, is slow as compared to other developed nations. In India the connectivity of the internet is not reachable in some places due to geographical background. 
  • Hurdle of small and medium scale industry: Most of the small and medium scale industry has to struggle a lot for adapting to the new modern technology. They are not aware about the terms and conditions of the online business or they don’t want to switch their method of trading.
  • Limited capability of entry-level smartphones for smooth internet access.
  • Unskilled labours: In India there is a lack of skilled manpower in the field of digital technology. They don’t know how to run applications and use them for their betterment.
  • Awareness about digital crime: To look for about one million cybersecurity experts to check and monitor the growing menace of digital crime.
  • Lack of user education: Users are not aware how to use technology or they are limited to Facebook and What-app. There is a need for digital literacy. It helps them to take the first step towards using technology.

Government initiatives:

  • National digital literacy mission: It was launched in 2012 by the Indian government to uplift the digital skills in rural India as well as urban areas. It is also known as the digital saksharta Abhiyan
Our Services – Reynard
  • Digital India was launched by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi on 1 July 2015, with an objective of connecting rural areas with high-speed Internet networks and improving digital literacy.
  • NASSCOM is working with SAP India to set up 25 new centres across the country to add to the 75 that already exist. These are the main vehicles of implementation of NDLM.

Conclusion:

Digital literacy is important for India because India is a developing country and we need to focus on sustainable development. According to a survey there is 90% digital literacy in India which is more than actual literacy that shows people are more aware about the web world. The need for digital literacy is really important. There are many challenges and opportunities. NDLM,  NASSCOM and digital India there are some schemes which help in upliftment of digital literacy. 

References 

Unknown's avatar

Published by suhawana