Scholarship Schemes for Northeast States Suffer Due to Digital Divide

Lack of internet connectivity has once again come in-between the national integration of Northeast with the mainstream India and this time it has affected implementation of Centre’s Scholarship schemes in the state with due effect.

Nejma Heptullah, the Union Minority affairs minister in a letter to Communications and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the department of minority affairs is unable to implement its scholarship programmes for minority students in the Northeastern states due to lack of internet connectivity in the states. The states need a strong internet connection in order to see a proper implementation of the minority schemes that are constructed for the betterment of the students in need. The scholarship schemes depend completely on the web for its success without which it is impossible to get carried further. The students, due to lack of internet connectivity, couldn’t even apply properly for the scholarship schemes on time and many needy students are getting out of its ambit.

The region doesn’t possess a high concentration of minorities, but due to the backwardness in the area automatically qualifies the students to get financial incentives to carry forward their studies. After reviewing the whole situation, Heptullah decided to urge the communications and IT minister to take necessary actions to bridge this digital gap in the region.

Heptuallah blamed the last UPA regime and said it is responsible for the plight of the region at present. She said, “The previous government talked a lot about the N-E region but never thought about internet connectivity. How do you reach those states? There is no rail or air connection. There has to be wireless connection. Had the UPA done it, I would not have had to write to the IT minister.”

Important Points

• Internet connectivity is affecting the scholarship schemes intended for the North East
• Dept of Minority Affairs is unable to implement the scholarship due to the unavailability of proper communication system with the North Eastern part of the nation
• Efforts have been started to minimize the digital gap