BackIn charts | Which states are the best on computer literacy?
The gender gap in computer skills was the widest in Gujarat, and narrowest in Kerala, showed a recent National Sample Survey report
PremiumSouth Indians are far better at computer skills than those living in most other parts of India, the 78th round of the government's National Sample Survey showed. The survey, conducted over 276,000 households in 2020-21, shed light on the stark gender and rural-urban differences in information and communication technology (ICT) skills. Its report was released on Tuesday. Out of a list of nine different computer-related skills that the survey asked respondents about, the ability to handle files emerged as the most common skill, and knowledge of programming the rarest. Here's a wrap of what the findings revealed about Indians' e-literacy:
Nuts and bolts
Over 40% of the Indians surveyed in the age group of 15-29 years reported having the basic skill of handling files on computers. The abilities declined as difficulty level of skills increased. Fewer than 2.5% of all those surveyed said they could use a programming language.
E-skill map of India
Southern states were better at computer-related skills compared to those in central and northern India. States such as Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh, too, featured prominently on the map.
Gender and geography
Men's abilities with computers far exceeded those of women. and urban areas were better at handling computer-related tasks, the survey reported. The share of men who could perform the simplest task of handling computer files was 13 percentage points more than women. There was a stark urban-rural gap, too: in urban areas, the same task was performed by 27% more people than those living in rural areas.
Widest gaps
The skill gap between men and women was the widest in Gujarat (for the ability to handle computer files), and narrowest in Kerala. In Gujarat, only 38.6% of women reported having the ability to move files against 62.2% of men. In Kerala, the gender gap for the same skill was minor.
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