How do you think we should tackle the fact that most youth in India are technologically unadvanced based on the fact that 90% of them have smartphones, yet 70-80% lack basic computer literacy?

We must urgently transition our youth from being passive consumers of technology to active creators and problem solvers.
Having spent the last 35 years in the classroom teaching Computer Science I have watched this crisis unfold firsthand. We are living in a dangerous paradox; our students have incredibly fast thumbs for scrolling social media, but they do not know how to format a professional document, analyze data in a spreadsheet, or understand the file structures behind the apps they use.
A smartphone is an entertainment and consumption gateway; a computer is a production tool. To bridge this gap between “device ownership” and “digital literacy,” we must completely overhaul our approach to technology in education.
Demystify the “Black Box” of the Smartphone. Expose the backend. Kids look at a phone as purely an everyday use device. We need to teach them how a smartphone works—file systems, cloud storage, permissions, and basic operating system. Show them how data flows from a mobile UI to a backend server. We need to Overhaul the Curriculum and kill outdated syllabus items.
We should focus on functional literacy. From Class 6 onwards, students should master cloud collaboration, advanced data handling, and critical digital hygiene (cybersecurity, phishing detection, and prompt engineering).
We should integrate AI thoughtfully. Instead of banning AI, teach them how to use large language models as coding partners and research assistants, emphasizing critical thinking over copy-pasting.
Since 90% of them have phones, we must meet them where they are. We should introduce coding and web development through robust mobile coding applications – so lack of a laptop isn’t an immediate barrier to learning.
The computer lab needs to be open, accessible, and integrated into non-CS subjects like History (for digital research) and Math (for data visualization)etc There should be Peer mentoring. Let Class 11 and 12 Computer Science students run “Digital Literacy Bootcamps” for younger classes or non-CS peers to democratize basic tech skills.