Ministry of Education has released the State of Elementary Education in Rural India – 2023 report, highlighting the Prevalence of Smartphone Usage among students.The report was based on a survey conducted by the Development Intelligence Unit (DIU), a collaboration between NGO Transform Rural India and Sambodhi Research and Communications.The survey gathered responses from 6,229 parents of schoolchildren aged 6–16 in rural communities across 21 States.
Key Findings of the Survey
Smartphone Usage and Entertainment
- 49.3% have access to smartphones. 76.7% of parents indicated that their children primarily use smartphones for playing video games, indicating a preference for entertainment over educational activities.
- Additionally, 56.6% of students use smartphones to download and watch movies, while 47.3% use them to download and listen to music.
- In contrast, only 34% of students use smartphones for study-related downloads, and a mere 18% access online learning via tutorials.
Differential Access Based on Class
- Smartphone access varies across different class levels. Students in higher classes (Class VIII and above) have greater access to smartphones (58.32%), while even younger students (Classes I–III) show considerable access (42.1%).
- This indicates that smartphone usage for entertainment is prevalent across age groups, potentially impacting their educational engagement.
Parental Aspirations and Engagement
- 78% of parents aspire for their children to attain graduation-level education or above, however, there is a gap in parental engagement.
- Only 40% of parents have daily conversations with their children about their school learning, while 32% engage in such conversations a few days a week.
Reasons for School Dropout
- For girls, 36.8% of parents mentioned that the need to contribute to family earnings led to their daughters dropping out.
- Meanwhile, 31.6% attributed the dropout to their child’s lack of interest in studies, and 21.1% believed household responsibilities played a role.
- For boys, the primary reason for dropping out was a lack of interest in studies, cited by 71.8% of respondents, followed by 48.7% stating the need for boys to contribute to family earnings.
Parent-Teacher Meetings and Learning Environment
- 84% of parents reported regular attendance. Nonetheless, the two main reasons for non-attendance, are short notice and a lack of willingness.
- Additionally, the availability of age-appropriate reading materials other than textbooks was reported by 40% of parents, highlighting the need for further resources to support children’s learning at home.