DIGITAL INCLUSION AND ACCESS TO PUBLIC SERVICES AMONG SCHEDULED TRIBES AND MARGINALISED COMMUNITIES IN KARNATAKA: CHALLENGES IN THE DIGITAL ERA

Abstract

Digital inclusion has become essential for accessing government welfare schemes, education, healthcare, banking, employment, and social security. However, the expansion of digital public services does not automatically ensure equitable access among Scheduled Tribes and other marginalised communities in Karnataka. This article examines the structural, technological, educational, economic, and administrative barriers that influence their participation in the digital governance system. It adopts a mixed-method research framework combining secondary evidence from the Census of India, the National Family Health Survey, government reports, and a proposed household survey. Particular attention is given to internet connectivity, digital literacy, device ownership, language barriers, authentication difficulties, and dependence on intermediaries. The analysis highlights the distinction between the availability of digital services and people's practical ability to use them independently. It proposes community-based digital literacy, stronger rural service infrastructure, multilingual platforms, accessible grievance redressal, and targeted monitoring to make digital governance more inclusive, accountable, and responsive to vulnerable communities.