Examining internet access and digital skills in India

• The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim for inclusive and equitable quality education.

• Target 4.4.1 focuses on the share of youth and adult population with some ICT skills.

• Target 4.4.2 pertains to a degree of proficiency in digital skills.

Data Assessment

• The Comprehensive Annual Modular Survey (CAMS) conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) between July 2022 and June 2023 provided data on digital technology access and use.

• The survey was conducted across India in 3.02 lakh households and with 12.99 lakh people.

Broadband Internet Access

• At the all-India level, 76.3% of households have broadband Internet facilities.

• Rural areas have 71.2% of households with the facility, while urban areas have 86.5%.

• Broadband connectivity varies across states, castes, gender, and class.

• The poorest households still have the wrong side of the digital divide, but broadband connectivity improves with every decile class.

Mobile Phone Use

• 94.2% of rural households and 97.1% of urban households have mobile or telephone connections.

• Women and socially deprived sections are at a disadvantage.

• Only 25.3% of women use mobile phones exclusively in rural areas, while the number for urban areas is 51.2%.

5G Connectivity

• More than half the population in rural areas uses 4G, while more than 70% in urban areas use the same.

• A significant share of the population still uses mobile technology, which is more primitive than 4G.

Digital Skills

• Around 53.6% of the population can use the Internet in rural areas and 74% in urban areas.