India needs to cover a long distance to realise NEP 2020 goals to attain universal school education that aims at achieving 100% GER and robust school infrastructure.
The Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) report for 2024-25 confirms that a substantial digital divide continues to plague government schools.
The data confirms that most schools now have electricity, but do not have internet or computers. While the national percentage of schools with computer facilities has improved to 64.7% in 2024-25 from 57.15% in 2023-24, a significant gap remains in states including Bihar and West Bengal (WB), where 25.17% and 25.06% schools have computers, respectively. Meghalaya schools have a staggeringly low computer facility, at only 19.66%.
The internet connectivity gap is even more pronounced. On a national scale, 63.47% of schools have internet access; however, West Bengal is at the bottom with only 18.61% of its schools having internet access.
“Altogether, the data shows that while infrastructure numbers have inched up, equitable access, meaningful use of technology and the basic reach of schooling remain major obstacles to delivering universal education,”
— says Arun C Mehta, former professor and head, Department of Education Management Information System, National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration, New Delhi.
Published by : Education Times on 01/09/2025
.jpg)
