Over a quarter of Indian families remain offline or digitally dependent NCAER study reveals
A deep look into the data reveals a massive gender gap in internet usage among the working-age population.
A fresh study reveals that despite mobile phones reaching 95.1% of Indian households, a massive 27.5% of families remain entirely offline. Released by the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) alongside The Quantum Hub, the report highlights a persistent digital divide across the country.
The comprehensive research, titled 'The Changing Landscape of Digital Inclusion in India,' analyzed data from over 47,000 households. The findings show that while connectivity issues are no longer just about basic access, stark inequalities remain in digital literacy, service utilization, and quality.
A deep look into the data reveals a massive gender gap in internet usage among the working-age population. Only 35.6% of women use the internet, compared to 57.6% of men. Furthermore, 71.4% of households browse via mobile, leaving more than a quarter of families completely disconnected.
This disparity comes despite a monumental explosion in India’s digital base over the last decade. Propelled by affordable smartphones and cheap data plans, the nation's internet user base expanded from 198 million in 2015 to over 1.03 billion by 2025.
This digital exclusion severely limits people's independence, as 20.4% of connected households still require outside assistance to access basic digital services. This dependency spikes to nearly one-third among less-educated families, highlighting how a lack of digital literacy locks vulnerable populations out of essential government services, financial systems, and employment opportunities.