3.1.2 Regional differences: The IT related infrastructure is not distributed evenly in the country. There are regional differences, particularly due to terrain and remoteness issues. It is also seen that rural areas face these challenges much more than urban areas. These gaps are a hindrance to access and, therefore, create digital divide. However, as mentioned above, BharatNet Project is slated to overcome these difficulties in the near future. Already, 202,028 Gram Panchayats are connected through the BharatNet project, and 658,685 km of Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) has been laid. Additionally, 643,789 Fibre-To-The-Home (FTTH) connections are commissioned, and 104,675 Wi-Fi hotspots are installed to ensure last-mile connectivity. (as on 11.09.2023).22 3.1.3 Socio-economic challenges: Technology adoption might also be a function of socio-economic status. Though there is no UDISE+ data to this effect, but it is seen that sections of students from Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Groups23 (SEDG) may lack access to personal devices and connectivity, implying lower ability to engage in digital learning. 3.1.4 Teacher capacities: Before the pandemic struck, it was next to impossible to imagine that teachers in India would become adept in the use of technology for teaching and learning, or at least for administration, monitoring and governance. The pandemic has changed this situation. There is not only a huge section of teachers that are already using technology for classroom instruction, but there is also a hunger for learning more and delving deeper into this area for their teaching and learning process. Both the pre-service and in-service teacher training curricula are now being completely revamped for including aspects related to integration of technology in education. As a result, the use of digital tools as Teaching Learning Materials has taken off. The pedagogical methods, too, are transforming with the strategies laid down by NEP and NCFSE, thereby increasing the scope for technology integration. 3.1.5 Clarity on integration: How is technology to be integrated into the teachinglearning process? Does the curriculum have scope for its use? Can it be used for assessment? What are the 21st century skills, knowledge, and information that can be effectively imbibed with the help of educational technology? There used to be no clear guidelines or laid down strategies on the ways and means of integrating technology with education, and most teachers ended up treating its use as a supplementary aspect and, that too, if time permitted! With the advent of NEP 2020 and the subsequent National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023 based on it, there are clear guidelines and strategies for integrating technology at every stage of education. Ibid. The term SEDG has been used for the first time in the National Education Policy 2020,which broadly categorizes this group based on gender identities (particularly female and transgender individuals), sociocultural identities (such as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs, and minorities), geographical identities (such as students from villages, small towns, and aspirational districts), disabilities (including learning disabilities), and socio-economic conditions (such as migrant communities, low income households, children in vulnerable situations, victims of or children of victims of trafficking, orphans including child beggars in urban areas, and the urban poor). 22 23 Journal of the National Human Rights Commission, Vol. 22, 2023 51