Digitised Learning in North East India

The National Statistical Office under the guidance of the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI), in its 75th report, 2017–18, took an account of the “percentage of households with computer and internet facilities for different states.” It revealed that all over India, the percentage of households having internet facilities stand at 23.8%, with rural-area internet availability at 14.9% and urban-area internet availability at 42%. The study has also mentioned the statewise percentage of households with internet facility, where Assam is slated at 17% (urban + rural). Interestingly, the study does not give a record of the other north-eastern states.

This divulges a very disturbing picture, with regard to the current transition of the classroom into online mode of education, owing to the current covid-19 scenario. The north-eastern region of India is spread across eight states, namely Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. This part faces a blockade of underdeveloped infrastructure on account of a continuous sociopolitical unrest. However, the literacy rate in the north-eastern region is among the highest in India, with Mizoram topping the list with 88.8%. Unlike the other states of India, in the north-eastern region, private schools are as many as government schools. The rural population has access to schools within a distance of every 1 kilometre, showcasing their educational development.