The Kerala High Court on Tuesday directed the State government to look into the prospect of putting up a website with the assistance of the Kerala State IT Mission where needy school students can register so that individuals/companies/NRIs/NGOs could contribute to the purchase of mobiles and digital gadgets or supply them.
Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan also directed the State government to inform the the court of the possibility. The directive was issued on a writ petition filed by primary school students complaining that they did not have digital facilities at their homes to pursue online education. According to them, thousands of students like them belonging to economically weaker sections and disadvantaged groups did not have access to smartphones, laptops, or Internet connection to effectively attend online classes.
The court also directed the State government to take steps to ensure that the petitioners were not sidelined by the digital divide and that they were able to pursue education.
