The Haryana government’s ambitious e-Adhigam scheme, launched in May 2022 to revolutionize digital learning, has hit a major roadblock as schools across the state have started taking back tablets from students. The withdrawal comes amidst widespread complaints of misuse by students and severe technical and connectivity issues that rendered the devices practically useless for academic purposes.
According to reports from Karnal and Kaithal districts, thousands of tablets are now lying locked in school cupboards. One of the primary reasons cited for this reversal is the students’ ability to bypass the Mobile Device Management (MDM) security software. Instead of using the devices for study, many students were reportedly accessing social media, playing video games, and viewing objectionable content. This led to strong protests from parents and village panchayats, who argued that the devices had become a distraction rather than a learning aid.
Furthermore, the scheme faltered due to a lack of basic infrastructure. The government reportedly stopped providing free data (SIM cards) for the tablets about 7-8 months ago. With most government schools lacking functional Wi-Fi, the tablets became “dead weight” without internet connectivity, making it impossible for students to access online lessons or submit assignments. Teachers noted that they have been forced to revert to traditional blackboard teaching as the digital lesson plans could no longer be executed.
Technical glitches also plagued the initiative, with a significant number of returned devices found to have damaged screens or battery failures. Officials indicated that the Education Department is now reviewing the policy and considering alternative uses for the hardware, such as reserving them for competitive exam preparation or specific events like Math Olympiads, rather than allowing unsupervised home use.
