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India's School Digital Shift Accelerates as Computer, Internet Access Increases
Digital connections in Indian classrooms are transforming at an impressive rate, as reported in India’s school education digits. Almost 70% of schools in India had access to computers, and 67% of schools had internet access for the school year 2025-26, as posted in the UDISE+ data. The data reflects tremendous growth from 2013-14, when only 24% of schools had access to computers, and 7% of schools had internet access.
The Ministry of Education remarked that these figures demonstrate the Indian government’s continued commitment to the advancement of technology in primary education. The recent figures demonstrate that digital infrastructure is a critical feature of primary education.
The Rapid Increase in Computer Access
The availability of computers in schools is the most significant change, from 2013-14 when only 24% of schools had access to computers. The following yearsindexed at 57% (2023-24), 64% (2024-25), and 69% (2025-26). Since 2013-14, there has been a 45 percentage point increase in access to computers in schools.
The increase from 64% to 69% access in the most recent school year (2025-26) indicates a government focus on the use of technology in classrooms and digital instruction.
Sharp Jump in Long-term Internet Access
Over the years, internet access has shown drastic growth. Just 7.3% of schools had internet access in 2013-14, while the number reached 53.9% during 2023-24, 63.5% during 2024-25, and 67.4% during 2025-26.
The latest data shows a jump of 60.1 percentage points from the 2013-14 data. As indicated by the Ministry, due to the improvement, online educational resources and digital content, along with online teaching Methods, can be accessed by schools. Internet connectivity is perceived to enhance digital infrastructure to facilitate its use in teaching and learning activities.
The Digital Divide Is Still Existent
Positive national averages do not mean that each school in India has internet access. Based on the UDISE+ data of 2025-26, significant disparities among States and Union Territories can be seen. For example, internet access was reported to be 99.2% in Andhra Pradesh, 99% in Tamil Nadu, and 96.8% in Gujarat, while it was 19.7% in West Bengal, 36% in Arunachal Pradesh, and 36.4% in Meghalaya.
The disparities are important because the national averages could mask what students actually experience in classrooms. In fact, UDISE+ data for 2025-26 will show that 63.1% of government schools have internet access, whereas 79.7% of government-aided schools and 79.2% of private unaided schools have access to the internet.
Digital Infrastructure Is Only One Part Of The Story
Technology is advancing rapidly all over the world, and basic school infrastructure is improving in step with this advancement. Country-wide data for India show that, in 2025-26, approximately 95% of schools had access to an electricity supply, while access was reported to be 99.5% for drinking water. Girls' toilets were available in 98.5% of schools while boys' were available in 97.2%. 96.9% of schools had handwashing facilities.
Without these basic supplies, technology such as the internet and computers cannot enhance the quality of education.
What The Figures Mean For The Students
An increase in digital resources can be of great benefit to a student who attends a school where teaching and learning activities can be supplemented with digital resources. Computers and the internet don’t on their own transform education unless they are backed up by connected electricity, maintenance, and the integration of digital resources in teaching. This means that the next phases of India’s digital schools initiative need to focus more on what students do with these resources, rather than on simply adding technology.
A Longer, More Challenging Journey With An Even Bigger Challenge Ahead
The infrastructure changes in Indian schools from the 2013-14 baseline statistics of 24.1% access to computers and 7.3% access to the internet, to 69.9% and 67.4%, respectively, in 2025-26, are significant. The more difficult question is whether access can be effectively used to improve learning.
India has made progress in providing digital access to students. The new challenge is whether students in different parts of the country will be able to use what has been provided.
Final Thoughts
Between 2010 and 2025, substantial digital growth has occurred throughout India’s schools. Access to computers grew from 24.1% to 69.9%, and internet access grew from 7.3% to 67.4%. Reliable digital resources will determine the next step for India’s school system. Providing digital resources to teachers will allow progress to reach students in the classroom.
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