India as a Futuristic Economy
By : Naina Jain
An article that talks about India’s position as a digitally advanced country and how we can shape a bright future for
both rural and urban areas through correct planning and by introducing emerging technologies.
With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic,
people’s lifestyles and the nature of previously
known activities have radically changed in the
blink of an eye. But little did we know that this
time would also serve as an opportunity to
discover new interests and ease us to adopt a
more digitally active way of living. There has
been a clear dent on the consumerist lifestyles
across the world. Health has surpassed all other
needs and concerns, and people are ever so
vigilant about their spending habits. Status and
luxury are no longer a priority; industries
stopped their manufacturing, and showrooms
were abandoned overnight. The economy came
to a standstill, shaking up the entire demandand-supply
chains.
In challenging times like today, we’ve come to
understand that the sole way of moving ahead
is by embracing a more user-centric, digital
transformation of the country. A variety of
industries have begun replacing their workforce
with strategists, technologically smart
professionals, and people with user experience
expertise. Today, our future may look uncertain,
but if our roadmap to digital transformation is
defined well, we can expect a V-shaped
recovery from the present depression very
soon.
The Real Indian Problem
India is the second most populated country in
the world, and is one of the biggest sources of
revenue for several global applications,
products and brands. Despite that, there’s a
significant section of the population that lacks
access to education, infrastructure, and
healthcare. People from the rural areas have
been migrating to cities and town in hopes of
better jobs, and such has been the norm for
decades. Indeed, many past studies and reports
suggest that well-managed migration is often an
asset for economies and societies, particularly
for the future. Cities are the epicenters of
innovation and it’s the need of the hour to
identify opportunities so that the migrants can
maximise their contributions, thus aiding in
economic and social development.
Many would agree that the policy-makers and
business leaders have yet to fully tap into the
potential of the migrant population in cities.
Unplanned relocation of the non-skilled youth in
a developing economy like India often results in
unemployment and is one of the leading
reasons for its recent economic downfall. A
change in policies is thus crucial for the
empowerment of the unskilled. The question we
must all ask - Why does the rural population
continually remain to be a part of low-income
groups? To answer that, a recent study by
Census India suggests that there’s an
enormous gap between the education system
and employment that comes after.
Much like the industrial revolution postindependence,
we are now witnessing a digital
revolution right. COVID-19 has forced many
aspiring individuals to shift from physically
demanding job roles to digitally skilled ones.
While people with poor digital skills faced
immediate pay cuts and unemployment, there
has been a surge in opportunities for those wellversed
in digital and UX strategic skills. A recent
report by the Internet & Mobile Association of
India (IAMAI) demonstrates that rural India has
227 million active internet users, which is 10%
more than urban India’s active internet users.
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