Tamil Nadu government schools are facing a digital learning disruption, with more than 4,700 institutions reportedly unable to access the BSNL internet connection provided for online classes, smart boards and technology-based teaching. The reported connectivity gap is concentrated in rural areas, even as the government continues to pay for the service.
According to a report by Dinamalar, more than 40,000 government schools in Tamil Nadu now have facilities such as hi-tech laboratories and smart boards. These are intended to support online training classes, artificial intelligence and robotics lessons, digital tools, assessment tests, film screenings, teacher training and lessons linked to QR codes in textbooks.
The report said the government allocates Rs 750 per school every month for internet connectivity. However, teachers in several rural schools have said that the BSNL network is not available or does not work reliably at their locations. As a result, technology-dependent teaching and learning activities have been disrupted in the affected schools.
School headmasters quoted in the report said schools were earlier allowed to use whichever internet service was available in their respective areas. This arrangement enabled several institutions to use private network providers where BSNL connectivity was available, according to the report.
That position changed from January 2025, when schools were instructed to use BSNL internet services, the headmasters said. Although BSNL is a government-owned telecommunications provider, the school heads said its network does not reach many rural locations. They said this has left more than 4,700 schools without the connectivity required to use their digital teaching infrastructure.
The reported disruption affects more than basic internet access. The facilities installed in schools depend on a functioning connection to deliver online classes and training, conduct assessments, use digital learning tools and support lessons involving artificial intelligence, robotics and QR-linked educational content. Where the network is unavailable, the equipment cannot be used for its intended classroom purpose.
The issue also raises a public spending concern because the government is continuing to pay the monthly allocation for connectivity at schools where teachers say the service is not available. The report did not provide a district-wise breakdown of the affected schools, the duration of outages or the total amount paid for connections that schools could not use.
The headmasters said the matter had been brought to the government’s attention but that a solution had not yet been provided. They have sought permission to return to the earlier arrangement under which schools could select an internet provider with reliable service in their area.
The immediate administrative question is whether schools in locations without usable BSNL coverage will be allowed to procure an alternative connection. Until that decision is taken, the report indicates that thousands of government schools may continue to have digital teaching infrastructure without the internet access needed to operate it.
