Made in Humane Club
Digital Literacy and the Huge untapped Demand for Internet in Rural India
An article in the Financial Express titled “Time to Push the Pedal” highlights yet again the huge potential of imparting digital training to rural Indians including grown ups and particularly women.
My own experience with USOF India’s project for ICT facilities and skills for women is exactly as stated in this article. Parents/mothers in rural India and even ultra conservative states would like their daughters to educate themselves and seek employment as a means of financial independence. For that purpose alone they would happily embrace a tool like the internet which provides convenient access to information and knowledge on a vast range of topics from online courses, university admissions to entrance exams and job opportunities. Please see my post titled ” Special Initiatives, ICTs for Women” under the label ICTs for Women. My articles on this scheme may also be seen at
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Needless to say along with supply side measures like broadband infrastructure, local language content and useful applications, efforts to precipitate demand as envisaged in India’s National ICT policies are of critical importance. While doing so we must focus on adult education and ensure inclusion of women and the disabled.