Kerala's complete digital literacy model needs to be replicated across India

India is a vast and diverse nation, which is rapidly moving towards the digital age. Campaigns like 'Digital India' run by the government are trying to make India technically self-reliant. Although, even today the lack of digital literacy remains a major obstacle in most rural and backward areas of the country, however, the state of Kerala has set an unprecedented example in this direction by achieving complete digital literacy. Although its official announcement is yet to be made, it is noteworthy that in this campaign, the state of Kerala has made about 21 lakh people digitally literate. This achievement is important not only from the technical point of view but also from the social, economic, industrial and educational point of view. It would not be an exaggeration to say that if this model of the state of Kerala can be implemented in the whole of India, then its far-reaching results can be seen and our dream of a developed India can get wings. Kerala took digital literacy as a comprehensive and inclusive campaign, in which every section of the society was included.

This work started by self-help groups started with the 'Digi Kerala' project, which can be called the country's first rural digital literacy scheme. Under this scheme, more than 21 lakh digitally illiterate citizens were identified across the state and were successfully trained on computers, internet and digital services. It would be appropriate to underline that through this Herculean effort of the state, not only digital education is being provided in every corner of the state, but also a meaningful contribution is being made in making the government's e-governance services reach the general public.

Another feature of this campaign is that women's participation was especially encouraged in it. Women empowerment groups like Kudumbashree were given digital training and entrusted with the responsibility of spreading digital literacy in their communities. This not only spread technical knowledge, but also strengthened the social role of women. Apart from this, Kerala also ensured that people of every age group get this knowledge and skills - be it a student, a housewife, a MNREGA worker, youth engaged in agriculture or the elderly.

The biggest reason for Kerala's success is its high literacy rate and the acceptance of technology in the education system. Undoubtedly, the political will of the state government has also played a major role in accelerating this campaign. Apart from this, social participation and easy availability of technical infrastructure gave this campaign the form of a mass movement. Local bodies and voluntary organizations also participated enthusiastically in this effort.

Now the question is how this model can be implemented all over India. In a diverse country like India, it will neither be possible nor appropriate to implement a single model directly. Therefore, first of all, each state will have to mold this model according to its local conditions. Some states have geographical barriers and some have social-family traditions. Digital education programs will have to be prepared keeping all these in mind.

Internet access is still limited in rural India, so it is necessary to strengthen the digital infrastructure further. Schemes like BharatNet will have to be implemented at a fast pace, so that broadband facility can be easily available at every panchayat level. Along with this, local digital training centers should be established in every district and block.

Women, youth and farmers should be given priority to increase digital literacy. Especially women self-help groups and Anganwadi workers can be trained and engaged in training work in their communities. This will create an environment of digital awareness in the society and the inclusion of technology will happen rapidly. Active participation of educational institutions can prove to be revolutionary in this campaign. Local technical institutes can motivate their students to train in the surrounding rural areas from time to time. This will also make young students aware of their social responsibility.

The government will have to make strong efforts to innovate daily to make this campaign successful under public-private partnership in collaboration with private institutions and non-governmental organizations. The private sector can make significant contributions in the form of technical skills, knowledge, material and resources. Apart from this, it is absolutely necessary that the material and resources of digital literacy should be available in local languages, so that the common citizens can understand and use it easily.

Amidst these efforts, it is also necessary to create a strong system of monitoring and evaluation of implementation. If this scheme is progressing at a relatively slow pace in any state, then efforts will have to be made to take corrective steps in time. Not only this, there is also a need to bring about a change in the social mindset of the people so that they can accept technology easily.

There will definitely be some challenges in this effort. Some states may struggle with the lack of resources, while in some places the availability of technical trainers may be a problem. In many communities, there may be difficulty in adopting technology due to the elderly and conservative thinking. But if the government, society, private and other stakeholders work together in a planned manner in this area, then this task is not impossible.