Computer Literacy and Digital Access among College Students in Ahmedabad District: An Empirical Study

Suhaag Dalpatbhai Maheria

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i05.87981

Computer Literacy and Digital Access among College Students in Ahmedabad District: An Empirical Study

Author(s)	Dr. Suhaag Dalpatbhai Maheria
Country	India
Abstract	This study examines computer literacy and digital access among college students in Ahmedabad District, Gujarat, with particular emphasis on differences associated with demographic characteristics, personal computer/laptop access, and formal computer-training exposure. We adopted a cross-sectional empirical design and collected data through an online structured questionnaire using convenience sampling. After applying the residence-based screening criterion, we retained 163 valid responses for analysis. We assessed computer literacy using an eight-indicator composite measure with a possible score range of 0 to 12, and digital access in terms of smartphone/tablet, personal computer/laptop, and internet access. The findings indicate that digital access was generally high (M = 2.40, SD = 0.49), but demonstrated computer literacy was comparatively limited, with a mean score of 5.74 (SD = 3.49; 47.85%) and 57.06% of respondents classified in the low-literacy category. The computer-literacy scale demonstrated strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .871). Mann–Whitney U tests showed significant differences in computer literacy by area of residence, PC/laptop access, and formal computer-training exposure, but not by gender. Kruskal–Wallis tests further indicated significant differences across age, monthly family income, academic status, sub-district, and discipline of study, with discipline showing the largest observed effect (ε² = .290). Although 93.25% of respondents reported formal computer training and perceived computer literacy as generally relevant to their academic disciplines, competency levels remained comparatively low. The findings highlight a distinction between technological access and demonstrated computer competency and suggest the need for competency-oriented, practical, and discipline-sensitive computer-literacy development. Given the convenience sampling and cross-sectional design, the findings represent associations within the sample and should not be interpreted causally or generalised without caution.
Keywords	Computer Literacy; Digital Access; College Students; Computer Training; Digital Competency; Ahmedabad District
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 5, September-October 2026
Published On	2026-09-17
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i05.87981

View / Download PDF File

About IJFMR Fees & Payment Current Issue Publication Archive	Submit Research Paper Track Submission Status Publication Guidelines Publication Ethics Peer Review & Plagiarism	Join as a Reviewer Editors & Reviewers Reviewer Referral Program Get Reviewer Membership Certi.	Website/Journal Policies Usage Policy Content Policies Privacy Policy

Contact Us		+91-9687-828-838	editor@ijfmr.com

International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research

A Widely Indexed Open Access Peer Reviewed Multidisciplinary Bi-monthly Scholarly International Journal

Computer Literacy and Digital Access among College Students in Ahmedabad District: An Empirical Study

Share this