The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), in partnership with Facebook, has released the Inclusive Internet Index 2021 in April last and India has been ranked at 49th spot globally. India shares its rank with Thailand.
This index measures the extent to which the internet is available and affordable by region, and highlights additional insight into how people around the world are using the web.
Top 5 Countries:
1. Sweden
2. United States
3. Spain
4. Australia
5. Hong Kong
• The ‘Inclusive Internet Index’ surveyed 120 countries, representing 98 per cent of global GDP and 96 per cent of the global population
• The overall Index score is based on four parameters, which are: Availability, Affordability, Relevance and Readiness categories. The Inclusive Internet Index is commissioned by Facebook and developed by The Economist Intelligence Unit
It may be mentioned here that India was placed at the 52nd position in 2020.
The overall ranking of countries is based on 4 parameters- availability, affordability, relevance, and readiness categories.
India was ranked 77th in availability, 20th in affordability, 49th in relevance and 29th in the readiness category.
India's ranking is due to its low performance in internet inclusion and the widening gender gap in mobile phone and internet access.
Major countries, 77 out of 120, recorded an overall improvement in internet inclusion.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, due to low internet access and adoption of school children in low and lower-middle-income countries lost 16 weeks of schooling (by October 2020) compared to 6 weeks of loss by school children in high-income countries.
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