How India’s most literate state also became its most digital-literate

What started in one district in 2021 became a state-wide initiative and has resulted in Kerala becoming the first state in the country that can claim to be fully ‘digitally literate’. The state announced in August that every resident of the state can now use smartphones or other internet-connected devices for most everyday activities. While that might not seem surprising for a state that has the highest literacy rate in the country, the government found thousands of citizens across age groups and economic classes who were unable to confidently access basic digital services. Digital literacy across the country is actually low, in spite of widespread ownership of smartphones. In 2024, the Indian government estimated only around 38% of households in the country are digitally literate. In urban areas, digital literacy was estimated to be around 61% compared to just 25% in rural areas. In the case of Kerala, the initiative came about after the success of a program in one panchayat of the state. Where it beganThe project has its roots in an initiative in the Pullampara panchayat near the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. In August 2021, the state government launched a scheme to ensure the most underprivileged residents of the region understood how to access the internet and the government services available online. The project in Pullampara started by attempting to assess how many people did not know how to access various digital services. Once that was done, educational modules were developed and volunteers from local colleges and National Service Scheme were roped in to impart training. Among the issues local authorities had to deal with included restrictions imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and poor connectivity in some areas. However, these issues were gradually resolved and in 2022, Pullampara was declared the first digitally literate panchayat, after most residents cleared the evaluation at the end of the training. Then, in 2023, the Kerala government rolled out the ‘Digi Keralam–complete digital literacy programme’, which aimed to enable citizens to access the government’s full range of e-services. It was also a conscious policy to prepare citizens for the opportunities and risks of the digital era.One of the foremost objectives of the initiative was to strengthen public awareness against cyber fraud, a challenge that has escalated sharply in recent years. Data shows that from 2021 to February 2025, the state registered 83,945 complaints of cyber fraud, around 2.2% of all complaints registered in the country. While the government acknowledged that alertness alone couldn’t prevent cybercrime, it could be a starting point in a wider framework of prevention and resilience.Mission digital literacyMuch like the pilot project conducted in the Pullampara panchayat, the first step was to identify those who lacked the requisite digital skills. The state roped in 2.57 lakh volunteers who were drawn from:• MGNREGA supervisors,• the National Service Scheme,• state’s women’ self-help collective Kudumbashree,• the National Cadet Corps, and• the Nehru Yuva KendraThe survey revealed that there were an estimated 21 lakh people in the state who did not know how to access digital services, including many senior citizens. This included 15,223 people over the age of 90.Kerala has some advantages compared to other states. NSSO data from 2025 showed that the state is among the most digitally advanced in the country. Over 91% of households in Kerala have internet access, compared to the national average of 86%. Nearly 26.5% of all households have fixed or Wi-Fi connections and 17.2% have optical fibre connections which are much higher than the national average. Among people aged 15–29 in Kerala, internet use is almost universal at 99.7%, which is higher than the national average of 94%. Kerala’s youth also outscored peers in other states when it came to abilities like sending files, creating documents, copying or moving files, and using formulas in spreadsheets. Once the state had an idea of the number of people to be educated, a module for teaching basic digital skills was designed with help from the Kerala Technical University. Connectivity issues in remote areas were resolved thanks to elected representatives, government officials and volunteers who coordinated with telecom providers.Those undergoing the training had to go through three modules that covered 15 key activities. Volunteers started by teaching people how to handle photos and videos, set up social media profiles, send WhatsApp messages and perform a Google search. Then people were taught practical tasks, such as using state-run portals to file applications, book essential services like gas, and even how to retrieve OTPs. The government also wove in its ‘Satyameva Jayate’ campaign, which is aimed at combating fake news. On August 21, nearly two years after it began, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared Kerala was fully digitally literate and said it was “a giant leap in the state’s journey of progress and people’s empowerment.” “The project also reflects the social commitment of our youth, who formed the bulk of the volunteer trainers,” he said. The chief minister also connected over a video call with 104-year-old M.A. Abdullah Moulavi Baqavi from Asamannoor panchayat in Ernakulam, one of the oldest people to be trained under the Digi Kerala project. Abdullah said he now enjoys connecting digitally with his grandchildren, while he earlier depended on other family members to make video calls. medium nocaptionhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmUcuEGQmZsIs this training enough?While declaring the state a fully digitally literate state, Kerala’s local self government minister MB Rajesh claimed the achievement was unmatched globally. He also said that Digi Kerala was part of the government’s broader vision to prepare every citizen to access digital services, after most government facilities were shifted online. “Everything from building permits to birth certificates can now be applied for and accessed digitally,” he said.However, there are concerns that the government’s push for digital services could also result in exclusion of those who struggle to deal with the challenges of the online world. It will also be a challenge for the state to sustain the momentum of digital adoption. Experts said continuous training and dialogue with citizens will be crucial, encouraging them to report suspicious online activity, navigate the digital world with confidence, and secure their privacy without withdrawing from technology out of fear of fraud. However, the successful adoption of the scheme, could also serve as a blueprint that can be adopted in other parts of the country.