Over 80% of schools in Bihar and West Bengal don’t have access to the internet

Around half of Indian schools have a functional computer

Despite the government’s focus on digital India, a Moneycontrol analysis of the government’s Unified District Information System for Education portal, found that less than a fifth of schools in Bihar and West Bengal had internet facilities in 2023-24.

While over half of the schools across the country had access to the internet, Bihar had 18.5 percent of schools with internet facilities, while West Bengal had just 17.5 percent of schools with the internet.

In contrast, four states, of which three are in South India, had over 90 percent of schools with internet facilities. Tamil Nadu had 99 percent of schools with the internet, while Andhra Pradesh and Kerala had 93.9 percent and 92.1 percent of schools with internet access, respectively. In West India, Gujarat was the only state with over 90 percent internet access.

However, the proportion of schools with internet facility has declined across these states, as they had near full access in 2022-23.

Karnataka, home to India’s tech capital, had 49.2 percent of schools with internet in 2023-24, compared with Jharkhand, where the ratio was 52.7 percent.

Assam was the biggest gainer as the proportion of schools with internet facility tripled to 45 percent from 16 percent a year ago.

The state witnessed even higher gains in schools with computer access.

The ratio of schools with computer facilities at 56 percent was 40 percentage points higher than the previous fiscal.

Punjab, Gujarat and Kerala were the only states with over 90 percent computer access in schools, while West Bengal had just 21.8 percent of schools with a functional computer.

Bihar was the worst performer, with just 18.4 percent of schools having access to a functional computer.

The wealthier states performed better than poorer ones regarding access to a functional computer. This is also reflected in computer literacy ratios, where Bihar had lower computer literacy at 44 percent than Telangana at 57.9 percent, according to data released by Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation.