Teachers describe them both as “brilliant” students, but ever since classes moved online, they have found themselves on opposite sides of India’s digital divide.
Ananya, who lives in an urban area, has wi-fi at home and says she is able to log in to her classes and follow them easily.
“The experience is awesome and classes are going really well. This is our school now,” she told our staff.
But for Mahima, who lives in a village, it has been a frustrating experience.
For one, she has no home wi-fi. Instead, she relies on her mobile phone’s 4G signal, a common source of internet across rural and small-town India.
But the phone signal is strongest on the terrace of her house, so Mahima often has no choice but to study there in the searing heat. Even then, she says, she may or may not be able to join the classes online.
“At times I miss lessons completely. I can’t watch online videos sent by the teacher. Downloading is a big problem. We only get electricity a few hours a day, so keeping the phone charged is also an issue,” she says.