Only 50.7% schools in Karnataka have internet connectivity: Report

Karnataka has only 50.7% of its schools connected to the internet, a NITI Aayog report released recently has revealed, exposing a sharp contrast between the state’s global digital reputation and its basic educational infrastructure.

The report, titled ‘School Education System in India: Temporal Analysis and Policy Roadmap for Quality Enhancement 2026’, stated: “Karnataka, home to Bengaluru, the country’s leading IT hub, has only about half of its schools (50.7%) connected to the internet, reflecting a stark contrast between the State’s global digital profile and its basic educational infrastructure.”

Starting from a very low base, several states and Union Territories have achieved near-universal internet coverage over the past decade, the report stated. Delhi, Chandigarh, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, and Andhra Pradesh have reached or are close to complete provision.

States like Gujarat (96.5%), Goa (93.2%), Kerala (91.7%) and Punjab (88.9%) have achieved near-universal connectivity. At the other end, West Bengal (18.6%), Meghalaya (26.4%), Arunachal Pradesh (33.6%), Manipur (36.6%), Tripura (41.7%), Madhya Pradesh (45.7%) and Uttar Pradesh (45.9%) record the lowest levels.

Computer availability

On computer availability, Karnataka posted the smallest improvement among states, moving from 38.7% to 55.7% over the decade. In contrast, Assam (9.8% to 78.7%), Jharkhand (9.7% to 76%), Odisha (13.7% to 76.7%) and Uttarakhand (33% to 91.3%) recorded the sharpest gains.

Lakshadweep reached 100%, with Delhi, Puducherry, Chandigarh, Kerala and Punjab all crossing 99%. Despite the overall expansion, more than one-third of schools across the country still lack computers, and wide interstate disparities persist.

Enrolment

Karnataka’s Gross Enrolment Ratio at the secondary level has crossed 100%, currently at 101.3%, a rise of 22.46% over the past decade. Among states exceeding 100%, Chandigarh leads at 110.1%, followed by Goa (107.5%), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (104.9%), Himachal Pradesh (102.6%), Karnataka (101.3%) and Delhi (101.1%).

At the higher secondary level, Karnataka recorded the largest relative improvement over the decade, moving from 29.68% to 61.4%. Bihar (22.38% to 38.1%) and Assam (28.55% to 43.5%) also posted gains. The steepest declines were in Lakshadweep (75.75% to 51.1%) and Arunachal Pradesh (54.67% to 43.7%).

For girls at the upper-primary stage, Karnataka improved from 90.58% to 103.9% and Andhra Pradesh from 81.47% to 102%, both crossing and moving close to universal coverage.

“The decadal movement shows that secondary education remains the most fragile link in the schooling cycle, where economic constraints, social factors and weak institutional support converge to limit participation,” the report stated.