While the majority of the emphasis on internet usage has been on urban users till date; rural areas, which account for two-thirds of India’s population, will receive a lot of attention in the coming years. Also, there has been a significant shift in rural India’s landscape as a result of changing behavior in terms of smartphone consumption. Internet penetration is rapidly increasing in rural parts of the country, which is a huge game-changer.
According to Statista, India will have over 650 million internet users by 2023, with rural India accounting for more than half of new internet users. Undoubtedly, there has been a constant increase in internet accessibility as opposed to just five years ago when the internet penetration rate was around 27 per cent, as per another report by Statista. Rural access and usage will be further influenced by the availability of affordable mobile handsets, the expansion of wireless data networks, and changing consumer behaviors and expectations.
All of these efforts will change how rural consumers communicate with businesses and provide firms with a variety of options for communicating with them. Data consumption on social media platforms such as YouTube has already increased. Since rural India’s digital penetration is already high, the next wave of growth will be an increase in rural data subscribers. Their primary data experience will be with cellphones and data consumption via YouTube channels. Rural people are using online video-sharing platforms and other channels to engage in and expand their knowledge about innovative technologies, farming practices, and much more. Let’s take a closer look at how such platforms are skilling rural India:
VIDEO-SHARING PLATFORMS IN RURAL SECTOR
People in rural India can learn through easy and engaging videos owing to these online video sharing channels. Many non-governmental organizations have teamed up with other groups and development initiatives to teach people in rural areas how to make and share videos about essential topics like agriculture, farming, irrigation, health, and social issues. Several other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) use digital video sharing platforms such as YouTube to train and educate concepts such as adopting new methods to bring about changes in work related to agriculture or farming operations. In terms of scope and reachability, even the Indian government is backing such groups.
It would be more than accurate to state that such online networks have empowered ordinary individuals from all walks of life to pursue their passions and interests. The concept of using YouTube channels to teach farmers in rural areas about cutting-edge agricultural practices has progressed quite a lot. The rural community has benefited from these platforms, which have improved local livelihoods. NABARD, India’s top agricultural and rural development bank, has been involved in a number of programs aiming at creating reproducible rural development models. Their initiatives have been documented in a series of short videos that are available on the bank’s YouTube page for the benefit of other institutions, communities, and the general public.
We can see the vast potential of digital learning in India by looking at the data sets. Digital and e-learning platforms enable users to communicate, share information, and thus, develop a larger growing community. According to KPMG India, the country’s online video viewing audience would surpass 500 million by 2023. Sixty to 70 per cent of these viewers would be on the YouTube channel. Furthermore, the majority of Indian customers choose to watch ad-supported content on YouTube rather than a paid subscription-based network with no advertisements.
THE BOTTOM LINE
As more people in rural India gain access to the internet, the value of vernacular material is increasing dramatically. Rural India is now driving digital adoption and use of channels like YouTube, registering an all-time high in online users. This is assisting the majority of the rural population in obtaining knowledge and the right skills.
The writer is CEO and Founder, AwalEnglish.com