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Paper short abstract:

Digital power in India is concentrated in urban areas and largely rooted in corporate affairs while the school system is suffering from digital poverty. The present study provides evidence on institutionalised determinants of the large disparity in digital ability among students in India.

Paper long abstract:

With the increasing role of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in education, employment, and other spheres of life, the digital ability is becoming a fundamental necessity. The key challenge for India is the lack of commensurate functional digital ability with the diffusion of ICT. This study examines the role of socioeconomic and institutional factors in determining digital ability by using nationally representative household survey data from India. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models are applied, and the probability of digital ability is estimated. The result indicates that the digital abilities of students are majorly constrained by the institutional structure. Students attending government school and having Hindi or a regional language as the medium of instruction have a significantly lower probability of digital ability. The study concludes with recommendations that to make digital education more inclusive and harness the benefits of ICT, macro-level policies should consider the institutional structure i.e., the type of school and the medium of instruction.