A study jointly conducted by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and market researchers, IMRB, may come as a wake up call to agencies who are responsible to drive the country’s thrust towards narrowing the so-called ‘digital  divide’.  The study’s key findings are that an overwhelming majority in  the rural hinterland – 84 percent – is not even aware of  the Internet. 38%  know about Internet but do not feel the need for it. 31% do not have Internet access points even if they wanted to find none and about 22% has no electricity…sad statistics for a nation which  provides  IT outsourcing services to dozens of developed geographies.

The lack of awareness about Internet is seen as the primary reason that has prevented  wider Internet penetration in rural India. The 38% which does not feel the need for Internet,  shows that lack of infrastructural  like electricity, proper Internet connection has deterred Internet penetration in rural India.

The lack of personal ownership of digital gadgets is an impediment to the Internet penetration in rural India. At present, common service centers (CSCs) and cyber cafes serve as the primary mode of accessing Internet in rural areas. More than 70% of the rural population access Internet through CSCs and cyber cafes This figure highlights  the need to improve the infrastructure with better, wider,more affordabable access; but ironically concerns about security has seen government  seek to regulate cyber cafes with many cumbersome requirements  that discourage operators.

Says Subho Ray, President, IAMAI said, “The high percentage of people in rural India who are not aware of Internet underlines the need for better infrastructure and schemes like CSCs and State Wide Area Network . Such schemes will go a long way in increasing the Internet penetration in rural areas.”

IndiaTechOnline believes the IAMAI report is a reality check. The digital  empowerment of rural  needs to be taken up as a national mission, rather be left to the whims of  individual states.  We know that some states like Kerala have erased the urban-rural divide with well thought-out  schemes like the Akshaya e-kendra initiative -- and their model could easily be replicated elsewhere.

Link to IAMAI-IMRB  study: Internet in Rural India n2009: http://www.iamai.in/Upload/Research/Internet_for_Rural_India_44.pdf