OTT Content Most Accessed, Online Learning Least Popular in India

A report by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Kantar highlights that online learning is the least favored activity among internet users in the country.

The report's data revealed that just 3 percent of internet users in the country engage in online learning. In contrast, activities like streaming OTT video and music, online communication, and social media usage are the dominant forms of internet engagement across India.

IAMAI stated, "Accessing OTT video and music content, online communication such as chat, email, and calls, and social media are among the most democratized internet activities across both urban and rural areas."

The report defines online learning as an activity, namely accessing educational materials, attending classes in school or college, or participating in other skill development programs through online platforms or apps. Online learning has been the most unpopular activity done by internet users in India and has been on a rise even while internet penetration rises.

The most common activities are chatting, emailing, and calling, with 75 percent of users accessing the internet for these purposes. Social media is second to this with 74 percent of users using the social media sites, such as Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

Online gaming attracts 54 percent of users, while OTT content audio and video also attracts attention, with the streaming of videos, music, and podcasts on YouTube, Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, and Gaana.

The report showcases that India is going to add internet users above 900 million by 2025 for this purpose, rural areas have played a key role. At present, 55 percent of India's internet users hail from rural regions, whose growth rate has been twice as fast as the urban ones. This change reflects how improved accessibility and affordability are making the internet more accessible to people in rural parts of the country.

The report also registered the narrowing of the gender gap in internet use. At present, internet users are dominantly male at 53 percent and females follow at 47 percent.

The internet penetration in the country is headed by Kerala with 72 percent of its population using the internet, followed by Goa at 71 percent and Maharashtra at 70 percent. On the other hand, the lower internet penetration rates are observed in Bihar 43 percent, Uttar Pradesh 46 percent, and Jharkhand 50 percent.

The statistics revealed that Indian internet users spend 90 minutes online every day, although the internet consumption time is higher for an urban user than for a rural user. Even as the numbers of internet access are on the rise, the report calls for increased adoption of internet-based learning so as to bridge educational disparities in the digital age.