Student Perspectives on the Integration of ICT in Secondary Education: Evidence from Alipurduar District, West Bengal

Abstract

This study investigates student perspectives on the integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in secondary education within Alipurduar District, West Bengal a geographically peripheral, tribal-dominated region characterised by limited digital infrastructure. A descriptive survey method was employed with 200 secondary school students (Classes IX and X) selected through stratified random sampling from eight schools across rural, semi-urban, and urban areas. A structured Likert-scale questionnaire served as the primary data collection instrument. The study hypothesises that students in Alipurduar hold moderately positive attitudes towards ICT in learning, yet face substantial infrastructural and pedagogical barriers to its effective integration. Results reveal that 68.5% of respondents demonstrated positive perceptions of ICT integration, while only 37.5% of sampled schools had functional internet connectivity. Statistically significant gender differences were observed, with male students exhibiting stronger positive ICT attitudes. The study confirms that inadequate infrastructure, insufficient teacher training, poor connectivity, and language barriers in digital content collectively hinder effective ICT integration. Targeted policy interventions are recommended to accelerate digital equity in secondary education across the district. Data used in this study pertains to the period up to 2021.