India’s Digital Future Must Empower Every Child
By Devendra Kumar
India today stands at the forefront of a global digital transformation. Under the visionary national leadership, the country has built one of the world’s most ambitious digital infrastructures. From UPI to Aadhaar integration, from Startup India to Digital India, the foundations of a technology-driven nation have been firmly laid. The intent is clear: growth must be inclusive, transparent and future-ready. Yet, as we celebrate this change, one responsibility remains critical. The benefits of India’s digital shift must fully reach its poorest children.
Over the last decade, flagship initiatives such as Digital India and the National Education Policy 2020 have recognized technology as a key driver of social change and mobility. Platforms like Diksha and Swayam have democratized learning resources at scale. The policy direction is progressive and forward-looking. The mission is not merely digitization, it is empowerment. However, on the ground in several government schools across rural districts and urban settlements, implementation gaps continue to challenge this larger vision.
Today, university admissions, scholarships, certifications, competitive examinations and even job applications are all online. This shift ensures transparency and reduces corruption. It aligns with the government’s focus on efficiency and merit-based systems. Yet for a student who has rarely used a computer, the transformation can feel intimidating.
The introduction of the Common University Entrance Test, conducted by the National Testing Agency, was a major reform aimed at regulating admissions to higher education across India. Its full evolution to a computer-based format represents progress in line with global standards. For students exposed to digital tools, the shift was seamless. For many in under-resourced government schools, it required adaptation support that is still evolving. The issue is not policy intent. The intent is transformation. The issue lies in ensuring last-mile readiness and delivery.
Government data and independent surveys have shown that while digital infrastructure in schools has expanded significantly under central schemes, access to computers and reliable internet connectivity remains uneven across states. This is not a failure of vision; it is a scale challenge in a nation of India’s size.
The digital divide now affects three critical dimensions
First, confidence. Students unskilled with digital interfaces often approach online examinations with anxiety, despite being academically capable.
Second, exposure. Without regular access to computers, students miss out on coding platforms, research tools and digital skill development that urban peers take for granted.
Third, aspiration. When technology feels distant, ambition quietly dies down.
At Ladli Foundation, our two decades of grassroots work reinforce a simple truth. Talent is evenly distributed. Infrastructure is not. In collaboration with the American India Foundation, we have implemented technology-enabled learning programs in underserved communities, expanding reach to digital education across multiple states. These partnerships demonstrate how civil society and global philanthropic institutions can complement national priorities.
When we establish computer labs in underserved communities, the change is immediate. Children who have never used the internet begin exploring educational platforms with curiosity and ease. Girls, especially in low-income households where device access often favors boys, gained equal exposure within school premises. Technology does not merely improve academic performance. It builds dignity and confidence.
The government’s push for digital literacy aligns perfectly with this need. What is required is deeper collaboration between civil society, corporate CSR initiatives and state education departments to accelerate implementation. Digital infrastructure in government schools must become universal. Teacher training in digital pedagogy must be strengthened. Exposure to computers should begin at the primary level, long before high-stakes examinations.
The gender dimension requires particular attention. School-based digital infrastructure serves as an equalizer in households where device availability is limited. When girls gain digital access in classrooms, the long-term impact extends to workforce participation and economic independence.
India’s rise as a digital superpower is undeniable. Our global reputation is built not only on unicorns and IT exports, but on the success of digital public goods that serve millions. The next milestone in this journey is ensuring that every child, regardless of socio-economic conditions, can confidently participate in this ecosystem. Digital access is not about gadgets. It is about citizenship in a modern republic.
If India’s future will be written in code, then every child must be taught how to read and write it. That is how the vision of an inclusive, self-reliant and globally competitive India will truly be realised.
(Kumar the founder of Ladli Foundation Trust, has risen from extreme poverty to lead large scale initiatives in gender equality, education and public health, impacting more than 2.5 million people in India and beyond. He has received two National Awards from the Government of India and acknowledged by four Presidents of India.)
