📄 Abstract
Digital literacy has become an important component of contemporary social, educational and economic life. Access to smartphones, internet services, digital payments, online education, government services and other digital platforms has created new opportunities for rural women. However, access to digital devices does not necessarily ensure effective digital literacy. The present study examines digital literacy among rural women of Rasulpur block in Jajpur District, Odisha, with particular emphasis on awareness, use of digital devices and services, and challenges experienced in acquiring and using digital skills. The study adopted a descriptive field-work approach. A sample of 100 rural women aged 18 years and above was considered, and data were collected through a structured questionnaire and face-to-face interaction. Frequency and percentage methods were used for analysis. The findings indicate that mobile-phone ownership is relatively high, with 80% of respondents reporting ownership of a mobile phone and 80% using smartphones. However, awareness of digital literacy, internet services, online banking, cyber safety and government digital-literacy programmes was comparatively limited. The use of advanced digital services such as online forms, government portals, email, online educational resources and independent digital transactions was also low. At the same time, 83% expressed positive attitudes toward the importance of digital literacy and 51% expressed willingness to participate in digital-literacy training. The study highlights the need for continuous, practical and accessible digital-literacy programmes for rural women.
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📚 How to Cite:
Dr. Lipun Sahoo, Mr. Ajaya Kumar Rout , DIGITAL LITERACY AMONG RURAL WOMEN IN RASULPUR BLOCK OF JAJPUR DISTRICT, ODISHA: A STUDY OF AWARENESS, USAGE AND CHALLENGES , Volume 11 , Issue 9, September 2026, EPRA International Journal of Research & Development (IJRD) , Pages: 90 - 95 ,