Digital Divide: India Inequality Report 2022

Oxfam India’s annual publication – Digital Divide: India Inequality Report 2022 – highlights the prevailing inequality in accessing digital technology in India. The report, published in December 2022, emphasises the impact of this ‘digital divide’ on education, health and financial sectors in the country. The report uses data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, Mumbai, gathered through surveys conducted between January 2018 and December 2021. It examines access to digital technology among groups belonging to different castes, regions, religions, economic backgrounds, genders and levels of education. The report analyses the determinants of the digital divide, the impact of such inequality on the daily lives of the people and the impact of profiteering and privatization in digital industries. The report states that digital inequalities are “reproducing themselves which in turn are exacerbating inequalities in the real world”. This restricts those digitally marginalised from availing the advantages of the technologies on offer. The 68-page document consists an executive summary followed by four sections: Introduction (Section 1); Determinants of the Digital Divide (Section 2); Digital Divide in Education, Health and Financial Inclusion (Section 3) and The Way Forward and Recommendations (Section 4).