Copyright (c) 2024 Ashwani Dubey, Anushka Sinha, Aditya Raj
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors retain the copyright without restrictions for their published content in this journal. HSSR is a SHERPA ROMEO Green Journal.
Publishing License
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of
Navigating the Digital Divide in India: A Comprehensive Guide
Corresponding Author(s) : Ashwani Dubey
Humanities & Social Sciences Reviews,
Vol. 12 No. 2 (2024): March
Abstract
Purpose of the study: This paper attempts to gain insights into the manner in which the first-level digital divide contributes to the more pervasive second-level divide associated with the manner of and motivation for digital usage across social groups.
Methodology: The study used data from the Government of India’s NSS 75TH round survey (2017-18) on social consumption and education. Binary logistic regression is used as a statistical method that can estimate the probability of an outcome, such as affordability or accessibility, based on one or more predictor variables.
Main Findings: Findings reveal that, for marginalized groups, class location plays an underlying role in propagating the first-level digital divide. Furthermore, when assessing the second-level divide in digital accessibility, socio-cultural factors perpetuate inequalities. The variable of gender shows that improved financial capacity to afford digital devices does not guarantee increased access to digital skills. Gender-based stereotypes act as deterrents, steering women away from engaging with computers.
Applications of this study: The research seeks to highlight digital exclusion among vulnerable communities, aiming to address this gap to fulfill the primary objective of the Sustainable Development Goal "Leaving No One Behind" and thereby contribute to the establishment of an equitable society.
Novelty/Originality of this study: Many existing studies rely on outdated data, prompting a need for a fresh perspective using updated datasets. This study seeks to investigate digital disparities within different segments of Indian society, utilizing recent data from a nationally representative survey. Given the absence of information on the digital divide at the second stage in India, this study addresses India’s digital inequality crisis by exclusively examining the first level, which revolves around the affordability and physical ownership of digital resources.
Keywords
Download Citation
Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS)BibTeX
- Antonio, A., & Tuffley, D. (2014). The gender digital divide in developing countries. Future Internet, 6(4), 673–687. https://doi.org/10.3390/fi6040673
- ASER: Annual Status of Education Report. (2022). ASER: Annual Status of Education Report. https://asercentre.org/
- Aswathi, P., & K, M. H. (2020). Attitude towards Information Technology and Digital Divide: A Study among Students in Universities in Kerala, India. Library Philosophy and Practise E-journal. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi
- Bajpai, N., & Wadhwa, M. (2021). National Teleconsultation Service in India: eSanjeevani OPD.
- Bhandari, A. (2024). Multicollinearity | Causes, effects and detection using VIF (Updated 2024). Analytics Vidhya. https://www.analyticsvidhya.com/blog/2020/03/what-is-multicollinearity
- Burt, R. S. (1998). THE GENDER OF SOCIAL CAPITAL. Rationality and Society, 10(1), 5–46. https://doi.org/10.1177/104346398010001001
- Castells, M. (2000). Materials for an exploratory theory of the network society. The British Journal of Sociology, 51(1), 5–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/000713100358408
- Consequences and Challenges. Social and Political Research Foundation. https://sprf.in/digital-divide-and-the-scheduled-tribes-in-india-extent-consequences-and-challenges/
- Freitag, A. P., & Camargo‐Borges, C. (2024). The Digital Bow: Exploring the potential of digital presence for Indigenous Community-Based tourism in Brazil. Tourism Planning & Development, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/21568316.2024.2307974
- Han, J., Yang, S., & Troin, M. (2024). Reducing the “digital divide” to reap the “digital dividend”: spatial differences and convergence of the digital economy in cities of China. Frontiers in Sustainable Cities, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/frsc.2024.1283604
- India - Household Social Consumption: Education, NSS 75th Round Schedule-25.2 July 2017-June 2018 - Overview. (n.d.). Microdata.gov.in.https://microdata.gov.in/nada43/index.php/catalog/151/study-description
- India Policy Forum, 2004-05 - NCAER | Quality. Relevance. Impact. (2023, February 23). NCAER | Quality. Relevance. Impact. https://www.ncaer.org/publication/india-policy-forum-2004-05
- Information Technology Act, 2000. (2000). http://indiacode.nic.in/handle/123456789/1999
- Internet World Stats. (2022). Usage and Population Statistics. https://www.internetworldstats.com/
- Kalan, M. E., Jebai, R., Zarafshan, E., & Bursac, Z. (2020). Distinction between two statistical terms: multivariable and multivariate logistic regression. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 23(8), 1446–1447. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntaa055
- Kamath, A. (2018). “Untouchable” cellphones? Old caste exclusions and new digital divides in peri-urban Bangalore. Critical Asian Studies, 50(3), 375–394. https://doi.org/10.1080/14672715.2018.1479192
- Karunakar, B. (2021). India’s education sector: impact and alternatives during COVID-19. International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education, 12(1), 89. https://doi.org/10.1504/ijpee.2021.118153
- Khan, F., & Ghadially, R. (2010). Empowerment through ICT education, access and use: A gender analysis of Muslim youth in India. Journal of International Development, 22(5), 659–673. https://doi.org/10.1002/jid.1718
- Kularski, C. M. (2012). The Digital Divide as a Continuation of Traditional Systems of Inequality.
- Laskar, M. H. (2023). Examining the emergence of digital society and the digital divide in India: A comparative evaluation between urban and rural areas. Frontiers in Sociology, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2023.1145221
- Lindell, J. (2020). Digital Capital: A Bourdieusian Perspective on the Digital Divide. European Journal of Communication, 35(4), 423–425. https://doi.org/10.1177/0267323120935320
- Lythreatis, S., El-Kassar, A., & Singh, S. K. (2022). The digital divide: A review and future research agenda. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 175, 121359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.121359
- Mammen, J. T., M, R. D., & Kumar, R. G. (2022). North–South digital divide: A comparative study of personal and positional inequalities in USA and India. African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development, 15(4), 482–495. https://doi.org/10.1080/20421338.2022.2129343
- Malik, S and Akhtar N. (2022). Digital Divide and Schedule Tribes in India: Extent
- Mathrani, A., Sarvesh, T., & Mathrani, S. (2020). Digital Gender Divide in Online Education during Covid-19 Lockdown in India. 2020 IEEE Asia-Pacific Conference on Computer Science and Data Engineering (CSDE). https://doi.org/10.1109/csde50874.2020.9411378
- Nayak, K. V., & Alam, S. (2022). The digital divide, gender and education: challenges for tribal youth in rural Jharkhand during Covid-19. DECISION, 49(2), 223–237. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40622-022-00315-y
- Pangrazio, L., Godhe, A., & Ledesma, A. E. G. L. (2020). What is digital literacy? A comparative review of publications across three language contexts. E-learning and Digital Media, 17(6), 442–459. https://doi.org/10.1177/2042753020946291
- Potnis, D. (2016). Inequalities creating economic barriers to owning mobile phones in India. Information Development, 32(5), 1332–1342. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266666915605163
- Ragnedda, М., & Muschert, G. W. (2015). Digital Divide| Max Weber and Digital Divide Studies — Introduction. International Journal of Communication, 9, 6. https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/4424
- Ragnedda, М., & Muschert, G. W. (2017). Theorizing digital divides. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315455334
- Ragnedda, M., &; Ruiu, M. L. (2020). Digital capital: A Bourdieusian perspective on the digital divide. Emerald Publishing Limited.
- Rajam, V., Reddy, A. B., & Banerjee, S. (2021). Explaining caste-based digital divide in India. Telematics and Informatics, 65, 101719. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2021.101719
- Rogers, A., Castree, N., & Kitchin, R. (2013). A Dictionary of Human Geography. In Oxford University Press eBooks. https://doi.org/10.1093/acref/9780199599868.001.0001
- Samudra, A. (2022). Gendering the digital divide in India. Social Science Research Network. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4112879
- Statsols. (2023). Contingency Table template. https://www.statsols.com/templates/contingency-table
- Tong, Y. (2022). India’s Sex Ratio at Birth Begins To Normalize.
- Van Dijk, J. A. G. M. (2017). Digital Divide: Impact of Access. In P. Rössler, C. A. Hoffner, & L. Zoonen (Eds.), The International Encyclopedia of Media Effects (1st ed., pp. 1–11). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118783764.wbieme0043
- Weber, M. (2018). Class, status, party. In Routledge eBooks (pp. 56–67). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429494468-7
- Yadugiri, M. A., & Bhasker, G. (2005). The Information Technology Act, 2000. In Foundation Books (pp. 482–511). https://doi.org/10.1017/upo9788175968660.018
References
Antonio, A., & Tuffley, D. (2014). The gender digital divide in developing countries. Future Internet, 6(4), 673–687. https://doi.org/10.3390/fi6040673
ASER: Annual Status of Education Report. (2022). ASER: Annual Status of Education Report. https://asercentre.org/
Aswathi, P., & K, M. H. (2020). Attitude towards Information Technology and Digital Divide: A Study among Students in Universities in Kerala, India. Library Philosophy and Practise E-journal. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi
Bajpai, N., & Wadhwa, M. (2021). National Teleconsultation Service in India: eSanjeevani OPD.
Bhandari, A. (2024). Multicollinearity | Causes, effects and detection using VIF (Updated 2024). Analytics Vidhya. https://www.analyticsvidhya.com/blog/2020/03/what-is-multicollinearity
Burt, R. S. (1998). THE GENDER OF SOCIAL CAPITAL. Rationality and Society, 10(1), 5–46. https://doi.org/10.1177/104346398010001001
Castells, M. (2000). Materials for an exploratory theory of the network society. The British Journal of Sociology, 51(1), 5–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/000713100358408
Consequences and Challenges. Social and Political Research Foundation. https://sprf.in/digital-divide-and-the-scheduled-tribes-in-india-extent-consequences-and-challenges/
Freitag, A. P., & Camargo‐Borges, C. (2024). The Digital Bow: Exploring the potential of digital presence for Indigenous Community-Based tourism in Brazil. Tourism Planning & Development, 1–19. https://doi.org/10.1080/21568316.2024.2307974
Han, J., Yang, S., & Troin, M. (2024). Reducing the “digital divide” to reap the “digital dividend”: spatial differences and convergence of the digital economy in cities of China. Frontiers in Sustainable Cities, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/frsc.2024.1283604
India - Household Social Consumption: Education, NSS 75th Round Schedule-25.2 July 2017-June 2018 - Overview. (n.d.). Microdata.gov.in.https://microdata.gov.in/nada43/index.php/catalog/151/study-description
India Policy Forum, 2004-05 - NCAER | Quality. Relevance. Impact. (2023, February 23). NCAER | Quality. Relevance. Impact. https://www.ncaer.org/publication/india-policy-forum-2004-05
Information Technology Act, 2000. (2000). http://indiacode.nic.in/handle/123456789/1999
Internet World Stats. (2022). Usage and Population Statistics. https://www.internetworldstats.com/
Kalan, M. E., Jebai, R., Zarafshan, E., & Bursac, Z. (2020). Distinction between two statistical terms: multivariable and multivariate logistic regression. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 23(8), 1446–1447. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntaa055
Kamath, A. (2018). “Untouchable” cellphones? Old caste exclusions and new digital divides in peri-urban Bangalore. Critical Asian Studies, 50(3), 375–394. https://doi.org/10.1080/14672715.2018.1479192
Karunakar, B. (2021). India’s education sector: impact and alternatives during COVID-19. International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education, 12(1), 89. https://doi.org/10.1504/ijpee.2021.118153
Khan, F., & Ghadially, R. (2010). Empowerment through ICT education, access and use: A gender analysis of Muslim youth in India. Journal of International Development, 22(5), 659–673. https://doi.org/10.1002/jid.1718
Kularski, C. M. (2012). The Digital Divide as a Continuation of Traditional Systems of Inequality.
Laskar, M. H. (2023). Examining the emergence of digital society and the digital divide in India: A comparative evaluation between urban and rural areas. Frontiers in Sociology, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsoc.2023.1145221
Lindell, J. (2020). Digital Capital: A Bourdieusian Perspective on the Digital Divide. European Journal of Communication, 35(4), 423–425. https://doi.org/10.1177/0267323120935320
Lythreatis, S., El-Kassar, A., & Singh, S. K. (2022). The digital divide: A review and future research agenda. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 175, 121359. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.121359
Mammen, J. T., M, R. D., & Kumar, R. G. (2022). North–South digital divide: A comparative study of personal and positional inequalities in USA and India. African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development, 15(4), 482–495. https://doi.org/10.1080/20421338.2022.2129343
Malik, S and Akhtar N. (2022). Digital Divide and Schedule Tribes in India: Extent
Mathrani, A., Sarvesh, T., & Mathrani, S. (2020). Digital Gender Divide in Online Education during Covid-19 Lockdown in India. 2020 IEEE Asia-Pacific Conference on Computer Science and Data Engineering (CSDE). https://doi.org/10.1109/csde50874.2020.9411378
Nayak, K. V., & Alam, S. (2022). The digital divide, gender and education: challenges for tribal youth in rural Jharkhand during Covid-19. DECISION, 49(2), 223–237. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40622-022-00315-y
Pangrazio, L., Godhe, A., & Ledesma, A. E. G. L. (2020). What is digital literacy? A comparative review of publications across three language contexts. E-learning and Digital Media, 17(6), 442–459. https://doi.org/10.1177/2042753020946291
Potnis, D. (2016). Inequalities creating economic barriers to owning mobile phones in India. Information Development, 32(5), 1332–1342. https://doi.org/10.1177/0266666915605163
Ragnedda, М., & Muschert, G. W. (2015). Digital Divide| Max Weber and Digital Divide Studies — Introduction. International Journal of Communication, 9, 6. https://ijoc.org/index.php/ijoc/article/view/4424
Ragnedda, М., & Muschert, G. W. (2017). Theorizing digital divides. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315455334
Ragnedda, M., &; Ruiu, M. L. (2020). Digital capital: A Bourdieusian perspective on the digital divide. Emerald Publishing Limited.
Rajam, V., Reddy, A. B., & Banerjee, S. (2021). Explaining caste-based digital divide in India. Telematics and Informatics, 65, 101719. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tele.2021.101719
Rogers, A., Castree, N., & Kitchin, R. (2013). A Dictionary of Human Geography. In Oxford University Press eBooks. https://doi.org/10.1093/acref/9780199599868.001.0001
Samudra, A. (2022). Gendering the digital divide in India. Social Science Research Network. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4112879
Statsols. (2023). Contingency Table template. https://www.statsols.com/templates/contingency-table
Tong, Y. (2022). India’s Sex Ratio at Birth Begins To Normalize.
Van Dijk, J. A. G. M. (2017). Digital Divide: Impact of Access. In P. Rössler, C. A. Hoffner, & L. Zoonen (Eds.), The International Encyclopedia of Media Effects (1st ed., pp. 1–11). Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118783764.wbieme0043
Weber, M. (2018). Class, status, party. In Routledge eBooks (pp. 56–67). https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429494468-7
Yadugiri, M. A., & Bhasker, G. (2005). The Information Technology Act, 2000. In Foundation Books (pp. 482–511). https://doi.org/10.1017/upo9788175968660.018