COVID-19 and Digital Learning in Higher Education in India: Unpacking the Inequity in Students’ Experiences

Using the information from a nationally representative household survey dataset and an online student survey, we analyse socioeconomic and regional inequality in access to digital technology for college-going students in India, and more importantly, the ‘inequity in experiences’ they encounter while accessing digital learning amid COVID-19 pandemic. We find that only about 40% of students in India have access to digital devices and internet facilities at home—with stark variations by their socioeconomic setups. Of the total sample students in the online survey conducted during COVID-19, more than 80% found online teaching–learning highly unsatisfactory and viewed it as an inadequate substitute for face-to-face interactions. Close to three-fourths of them said that their teachers were not readily available to resolve their doubts in the digital platform, which delays completing their assignments. Such issues are more pronounced among students from lower caste and class groups, particularly in rural India. In this study, we contribute to the growing literature on digital learning in higher education by exploring students’ experiences, preferences and expectations from online teaching–learning process. The study provides critical inputs for devising implementation strategies for the recently adopted National Education Policy 2020 which aims to leverage educational technology to make higher education egalitarian and inclusive in India.