Only 20 per cent children had access to remote education during school closures, revealed the findings of  Access to Services During COVID-19 in Digital India, a national survey conducted by LIRNEasia, a regional think tank working on digital policy issues and Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), an economic policy think tank based in New Delhi. 

The survey, launched on November 12, reported that 61 per cent of households in 2021 used the internet as compared to 21 per cent in 2017. Internet use therefore more than doubled in the past four years, and COVID-19 related shutdowns contributed significantly to the increased demand for connectivity. 

The survey stated that only 20 per cent students were able to access education through multiple channels during school closure whereas 80 per cent didn’t. A similar trend was witnessed in accessing healthcare. Among the people that needed to access healthcare services during the pandemic, 65 percent of those with internet access were able to access healthcare whereas only 52 per cent without the internet were able to do so. 

The survey also discussed the remote work culture during the shutdowns. It stated that only 10 per cent of those employed were able to work remotely and higher percentages belonged to those whose jobs fell under the categories of finance, insurance, information technology, public administration, and other professional services. 

While people in the service sector were able to work remotely, it’s important to note that eight out of ten people didn’t find any employment during the first COVID-19 lockdown under the flagship employment scheme of the central government – Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). This came out in a survey conducted by Gaon Connection Insights, the data and insights arm of India’s largest rural media platform. 

Also Read : 80% rural citizens reported not getting work under MGNREGA during the COVID-19 lockdown

“There has been a huge uptake of digital services during the pandemic, much above what trends foretold. That is a positive. Trickle down to lower income groups and laggard regions is not a given and will require policy support,” Rajat Kathuria, a senior visiting professor at ICRIER, said as he spoke of  how increased digitization has spread unevenly across the geography and population. 

“There has been a huge uptake of digital services during the pandemic, much above what trends foretold. That is a positive. Trickle down to lower income groups and laggard regions is not a given and will require policy support,” he pointed out. 

Availability of infrastructure, relatable and vernacular content need to be recognized for meaningful and relevant social impact, he added. 

“Pandemic worsened the education gap” 

64 per cent of all households with enrolled school going children had internet access, whereas the remaining didn’t. Within the households that had access to the internet, only 31 per cent were likely to receive remote education of some kind while only 8 per cent of households without internet said they received remote education, according to the LIRNEasia-ICRIER survey. 

It also highlighted that the challenges faced by those receiving and not receiving education also differed. The key challenges for those who received education through virtual mediums was that children were not being attentive, schools were unprepared to deliver online education and high data costs. Meanwhile, for those who didn’t receive education, poor connectivity (3G and 4G signals) in their area, and insufficient devices at home to meet the competing needs of all family members were the key issues they faced. 

Also Read : Graphic designing classes and virtual learning – a village school is breaking stereotypes of rural education

“The pandemic made the education gap worse, impacting students from disadvantaged households the most.  But it wasn’t just a connectivity problem – schools were caught off-guard and were not prepared to deliver online lessons in the first round of lockdowns. Luckily things did improve in the subsequent shut downs. But unless a mix of real-time online and self directed learning and meaningful feedback is provided, the learning gaps probably were not bridged” said Helani Galpaya, the CEO of LIRNEasia.

38% of those who needed health services during lockdown used online consultations : Report

The findings of the survey also highlighted that 38 per cent of India who had non-COVID19 related health needs during the lockdown accessed health services through online consultations or telemedicine. Such online methods were not used in isolation, but were supplemented with physical consultations to clinics or hospitals. 

61 per cent of the respondents stated that they needed to get treatment for non-COVID19 related illnesses that they faced during the specified lockdown. Meanwhile, 14 per cent needed access to ongoing treatment for chronic conditions such as cancer, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. Of those who required treatment for chronic conditions, 37 per cent stated that they missed at least one appointment due to the prevailing Covid-19 crisis. 

Also Read : With no tests and no treatment, people in rural India are dying of COVID-like symptoms