EDUCATIONAL DEPRIVATION AND THE DIGITAL DIVIDE: A CASE STUDY OF INDIAN SCHOOL STUDENTS DURING THE PANDEMIC

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted education worldwide, but in India its effects were particularly severe, affecting more than 320 million learners. This study investigates the educational deprivation experienced by adolescents (14–18 years) during pandemic-induced school closures, with special attention to dropout tendencies, gender disparities, digital exclusion, and nutritional insecurity. Using a mixed-methods case study based on survey responses and secondary literature, the findings highlight poverty, economic shocks, and lack of digital infrastructure as primary drivers of school discontinuity. Girls and rural children were disproportionately affected, facing risks of child labour and early marriage. The suspension of mid-day meals further deepened food insecurity. The paper concludes that without robust social protection, digital inclusion, and gender-sensitive interventions, the pandemic’s long-term impact may reverse decades of educational progress in India.