by Prof. Dinesh Chandra Rai
Every year on 8 September, as we observe International Literacy Day, we reflect on our progress as a society. While the classic image of a child learning to read a book remains powerful, today’s landscape is different. This year, with the focus on “Promoting literacy in the digital era,” we face a new reality. Literacy isn’t just about reading words; it’s about navigating a world shaped by screens, apps, and data. As a university leader, I can tell you this isn’t just a policy goal for us—it’s a human mission. Our job is to make sure the promise of a digital future reaches every single person, not just those with a fast internet connection.
The gap we’re seeing in India today is stark. We have a generation of young people who are true digital natives, building tech empires and pushing the boundaries of innovation. But a short trip to any village shows the other side of the story. There, the digital divide isn’t an abstract concept; it’s a very real barrier. It’s the farmer who can’t access critical weather data, the student who missed class because of a poor network, or the parent who can’t get government services online. Our challenge isn’t just to catch up—it’s to bridge this divide with compassion and smart strategy, turning potential into real progress for everyone.
The Vision from the Ground Up
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 gives us the perfect blueprint for this. It’s not just another document; it’s a living guide that encourages us to break free from old ways of thinking. The policy’s push for a well-rounded, hands-on education, one that mixes different subjects and puts technology at the center, is exactly what we need. We’re asked to do more than just produce graduates; we’re asked to create people who can solve problems, think critically, and contribute to their communities.
This is where our work gets truly personal. We’ve embraced programs like Unnat Bharat Abhiyan (UBA), which isn’t just about adopting villages; it’s about building a connection. It’s about our students and faculty spending time in rural communities, understanding their daily struggles, and helping them find solutions. Imagine our students from the computer science department helping villagers set up a basic internet hub, or our education majors creating simple, visual tutorials in local languages on a tablet. This isn’t just a project; it’s a partnership. In this, our youth volunteers from the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and National Service Scheme (NSS) can play a particularly important role. Their existing framework of community service and discipline makes them ideal for leading on-ground digital literacy campaigns, acting as the first point of contact and support for village residents.
The Real Barriers and Our Next Steps
The work isn’t easy. I’ve seen firsthand the obstacles we face. The biggest one is simply a lack of infrastructure. You can’t teach digital literacy without electricity or a reliable internet signal. Then there’s the people part of the problem. Many of our educators themselves need to be comfortable with new technology before they can teach others. And we can’t forget the relevance issue: if the digital tools we offer don’t solve a real-life problem for people, they won’t be used. A study at Dibrugarh University even showed that even our postgraduate students struggle with some digital skills, which tells us we have work to do right at home before we go out into the community.
To start, we must team up with private service providers and local governments. They have the resources and expertise to help us build community Wi-Fi spots and set up digital labs in villages. A combined effort is much stronger than a solo one. Within our own walls, every professor and student, no matter their field, should receive ongoing training in digital skills. We need to create a university-wide culture where digital literacy is a core part of everything we do, not just a separate subject. We should also invest in creating digital content in local dialects and languages. Think simple video tutorials for farmers on using a mobile app to check market prices or for women’s self-help groups to manage their finances. It’s about meeting people where they are. To incentivize this, we could launch a special “Digital Impact Fund” to support student-led projects aimed at solving digital literacy challenges, turning our students into entrepreneurs and innovators who are rewarded for practical solutions that directly help our communities.
A Call to Action
The journey ahead is about more than just technology. It’s about building a more inclusive society where everyone has a chance to succeed. The principles of NEP 2020 and the spirit of initiatives like UBA show us the way. By committing ourselves to these goals, we can transform our universities from academic centers into true engines of national development. It is a big task, but with a clear vision and collective effort, we can make sure that our nation’s story in the digital age is one of universal access and shared opportunity.
Prof. Dinesh Chandra Rai’s contributions to both academics and research have been exceptional throughout his three decades in academia. His leadership, both as a professor at BHU and as vice-chancellor of BRA Bihar University, has significantly enriched the academic landscape. He can be mailed at dcrai@bhu.ac.in
