Empowering The Digital Native Generation: Rethinking Literacy In Young India

Despite being perceived as digital natives by parents, teachers, and policymakers, school-going children in India are not supported sufficiently to foster their digital literacy. The shortage of digital skills among the country's youth is also worrying and coexists with a rapidly evolving job market where 90% of positions already entail a digital component - a trend poised to escalate. A recent NSSO survey assessing digital skill levels among Indian youth aged 15-29 paints a disconcerting picture, with only 27.5% of the population classified as "digitally skilled."

UNESCO enumerates digital literacy as the indispensable fourth pillar of foundational literacy. Digital literacy refers to the abilities that enable individuals to use technology in a secure and efficient manner. It extends beyond fundamental digital skills, encompassing a range of digital know-how that enable individuals to execute a range of everyday tasks by leveraging technological solutions. These could include filling a Google form, analysing data sets on Excel and making a presentation for work. These represent the spectrum of digital proficiencies that are increasingly becoming essential.

However, the skill paradigm of digital literacy is only one half of the story. Limiting digital literacy to a skills-based understanding leads to dire consequences. India's experience during COVID-19 and the accompanying misinformation crisis was the most recent example of mass scale digital illiteracy across all age groups of India's population.