Kerala: India’s First Fully Digitally Literate State

Kerala has become the first fully digitally literate State in India as stated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Let us first look at what is being declared as completed in terms of Phase 1 of the Digi Kerala project and that is the bridging of the digital divide. A total of 1.5 crore individuals surveyed in 83.46 lakh families were found to be having more than 21.88 lakh digitally illiterate individuals. Among them, 99.98 % successfully did training and evaluation. Kerala is now a good example of a model which can be replicated in India as far as digital empowerment is concerned.

Context 

• Digital literacy is an important attribute of inclusive governance and access to services.

• Kerala has been the front runner in social development paradigms such as literacy, health and decentralisation in India.

• Digi Kerala project is a move towards a universal digital inclusion.

Key Points

Digi Kerala Project

• State based measure across all local authorities.

• Solution: Digitally illiterate should be trained to bridge the digital divide.

• Model of the community based and grassroots-driven.

Implementation & Coverage

• The survey was carried out among: 1.5 crore individuals, 83.46 lakh families.

• Total numbers of digitally illiterate were identified: 21.88 lakh.

• Trained and certified: 21.87 lakh (99.98 %).

Social Impact

• Empowered elderly men and women like 104 year old Abdullah Moulavi Baqavi (Ernakulam) one of the oldest to be trained.

• Enhances e-governance access, online health services, education and financial services.

National Significance

• Kerala becomes the first State in India that became fully digitally literate.

• Creates a repeatable template to other states.

• Fits into the Digital India vision of narrowing the gap between social and economic disparities using technology.

Conclusion 

The fact that Kerala has been able to make itself fully digitally literate only supports the fact that it is also a frontrunner as far as social development goes. This approach of endowing citizens of all ages with digital skills has put the State in the right position to achieve an inclusive governance. The milestone can be emulated by the rest of India giving it a scalable model.