A recent government report has painted a sobering picture of the digital state of schools across India, revealing that over 82% of districts scored below 50% on digital learning capabilities in 2023-24. The Performance Grading Index for Districts (PGI-D), released by the Union Education Ministry, evaluated 788 districts across six key parameters, showing not only a widespread lack of digital infrastructure but also highlighting the persistent divide between urban and rural areas in access to tech-enabled education.

Digital learning remains the weakest link

Digital learning emerged as the weakest among the six parameters assessed. In 2023-24, a staggering 272 districts scored below 20% on this measure, with 57 districts falling into the lowest category (Akanshi-3: 0-10%) and another 215 in Akanshi-2 (10-20%). Even beyond this, a large number of districts landed in grades 6 to 8, signaling a widespread lack of essential digital facilities in schools such as computers, internet access, smart classrooms, and digitally trained teachers.

In total, 652 of 788 districts scored under 50% in digital learning. Key factors pulling down performance included a shortage of internet access for pedagogical use, limited availability of computers and laptops in classrooms, high student-to-computer ratios, and a dearth of computer-assisted learning tools. The report also noted that teacher training in the use of digital tools remained insufficient in many districts.

The digital divide is most starkly visible when comparing districts like New Delhi, which scored 33 out of 50 in digital learning, with districts like Supaul in Bihar, which scored just 2. This sharp contrast underscores the urgent need to address regional disparities to ensure equitable digital access in education.

Mixed performance across other educational parameters

While digital learning fared the worst, other parameters also highlighted significant challenges. Under the learning outcomes category, 667 districts (84.6%) scored below 50%, although 753 districts did register improvement from the previous year, and 240 districts moved up at least one grade.

The infrastructure parameter showed a downward trend in 2023-24. In 2022-23, 82 districts were classified under the second-highest grade (Uttam-1), but this fell to just two in the latest cycle. Many districts that were previously in higher categories have now shifted to lower ones, signaling a decline in basic infrastructure such as school buildings, classrooms, toilets, and electricity.

Governance indicators also witnessed a fall in performance. In 2022-23, 93 districts were rated as Uttam-1 (Grade 2), but this shrank to just eight districts in 2023-24. Many have slipped into fourth and fifth grade levels, indicating worsening administrative efficiency and coordination.

The only positive exception in 2023-24 was Punjab’s Barnala district, which reached the third performance grade (Uttam-2) by scoring over 70%, making it the only district to achieve this level in the year under review.

Despite the grim statistics, the PGI-D report has been seen as a valuable tool to help policymakers and stakeholders identify priority areas and drive targeted improvements in school education across India.

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