Has digital illiteracy, particularly in rural areas, coupled with lack of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) accessibility hindered socio-economic development? Examine with justification.

Theme

T106 E-governance & the digital divide

What UPSC asks in this theme

Questions ask whether e-governance favours technology over citizens, the 'interactive service model', inadequacies that limit transparency, e-governance in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the 'use value' of information, and digital illiteracy hindering development.

What to cover

• E-governance models: broadcasting, critical flow, comparative analysis, mobilisation, interactive service
• Digital India pillars; examples (UMANG, DigiLocker, CPGRAMS, e-Courts, GeM)
• User-centric design vs back-end integration
• Digital divide: rural access, literacy, language, gender
• Data protection and cyber risks in e-governance

Writing the answer

• Name the model asked and give one Indian example for each point
• End with inclusion: assisted access (CSCs), vernacular interfaces

These notes are for the whole theme, built from all 6 of its PYQs. UPSC does not publish model answers.