India Inequality Report 2022: Digital Divide

Inequalities based on caste, gender, geographical location, and class abound in India. They are now also becoming increasingly visible in the digital space, according to the “India Inequality Report 2022: Digital Divide” released by Oxfam India.

Key highlights

  • While 61 per cent of men owned mobile phones in 2021, their access remained limited to just 31 per cent women.
  • The reach of digital technologies remains largely limited to male, urban, upper-caste, and upper class individuals.
  • While 8 per cent of the general caste have access to a computer or a laptop, less than 1 per cent of the Scheduled Tribes and 2 per cent of the Scheduled Castes afford it.
  • A digital divide based on employment status, where 95 per cent of the salaried permanent workers have a phone whereas only 50 per cent of the unemployed (willing and looking for a job) have a phone in 2021.
  • Indian women are 15 per cent less likely to own a mobile phone and 33 per cent less likely to use mobile internet services than men.
  • Among states, Maharashtra has the highest internet penetration, followed by Goa and Kerala, while Bihar has the lowest, followed by Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.

Written by 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *