Digital Divide in India

Digital Divide in India
 

Background:
 The article contains key finds from many indicator surveys (2020-21) which are published by NSSO concerning Digital Divide in India

Key Findings
•More than 70% of Indian youth aged between 15 and 29 cannot send emails with files attached
•Nearly 60 per cent cannot copy and move a file or folder.
•Over 80% cannot transfer files between a computer and other devices.
•Only 8.6% can create electronic presentations with presentation software.

Impact of Digitisation on Tech-market:
 As per a recently published report by the WEF, in the next five years, the churn in Indian labour markets will be led by technology-driven sectors.
 Jobs in fields such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, data analysts and scientists, and data entry clerks will lead to this labour churn.
 “Labour-market churn” refers to the expected job movement being created, and existing roles destroyed as a proportion of current employment.
 Generative artificial intelligence is emerging as the next frontier in tech and IT skills. Firms have already begun hiring for new roles such as prompt engineers, AI trainer, ethics coach.
 Job roles involving generative AIs will not require candidates to be trained in hardcore computer engineering skills. Instead, candidates from the humanities stream, with English or history as their majors, will be better able to use these natural language tools.
 Technology has influenced our daily lives and we have become used to technology. The use of personal tech has become second nature to those born between the late 2000s and early 2010s.
 

What are the challenges related to skilling in digital technology?
 Persistent demand-and-supply gap for computer skills. More evident in tech-skilling in tier 2 and tier 3 cities.
 Only about 40 to 45% of Indian graduates are readily employable. Many technology companies have created large training infrastructures and have also worked with engineering schools to develop the curriculum and pedagogy.
 One of the biggest challenges of the Skill India Mission is that the government is organized in verticals. The issues around employment and skills are horizontal and involve different ministries.