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The digital divide, gender and education: challenges for tribal youth in rural Jharkhand during Covid-19

Author

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  • Kumari Vibhuti Nayak

    (Centre for Studies in Social Sciences, Calcutta (CSSSC) (An ICSSR Institute Under MHRD, Govt. of India))

  • Shamsher Alam

    (CCentral University of Jharkhand)

Abstract

When analysing the Covid-19 pandemic potential consequences on education, it is evident that it had adverse effects on the existing educational inequalities worldwide. However, little is known about how the digital divide have worsened the conventional educational system and reinforced pre-existing gender inequalities among the historically marginalised communities. This research paper explores how the pandemic, along with digital divide, deteriorated the educational system among the socially deprived groups (i.e. tribals also known as indigenous or Adivasis) and place them in a disadvantageous position. The paper reflects on how the Covid-19 pandemic re-configured the pre-existing issues of educational inequalities and how the digital dived have been manifested in a way that has particularly affected the young tribal girls. For this study, semi-structured interviews with tribal students, their parents and teachers residing in a remote area of Jharkhand, India, were conducted to understand their experiences of shifting to online education mode. Other than accessibility and infrastructure issue, the findings reveal that the elements of cultural and social issues (related to perceived benefits of education for girls and mindset or beliefs parents and teachers towards effectiveness of digital mode of education delivery) create and reinforce the digital divide for the tribal girls in the hinterlands. Based on the information collected from the interview, the study emphasises on re-thinking the digital learning ecosystem and provide policy recommendations to counteract the worsening digital divide and educational inequalities among socially deprived groups.

Suggested Citation

  • Kumari Vibhuti Nayak & Shamsher Alam, 2022. "The digital divide, gender and education: challenges for tribal youth in rural Jharkhand during Covid-19," DECISION: Official Journal of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Springer;Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, vol. 49(2), pages 223-237, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:decisn:v:49:y:2022:i:2:d:10.1007_s40622-022-00315-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s40622-022-00315-y
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. R Vaidehi & A Bheemeshwar Reddy & Sudatta Banerjee, 2021. "Explaining Caste-based Digital Divide in India," Papers 2106.15917, arXiv.org.
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    4. Iivari, Netta & Sharma, Sumita & Ventä-Olkkonen, Leena, 2020. "Digital transformation of everyday life – How COVID-19 pandemic transformed the basic education of the young generation and why information management research should care?," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    5. C. Serrano‐Cinca & J. F. Muñoz‐Soro & I. Brusca, 2018. "A Multivariate Study of Internet Use and the Digital Divide," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 99(4), pages 1409-1425, December.
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