Can digitalization of Indian Society be considered as an agent of social change? In what manner can it establish a new social order in India?

Digitalization is indeed an agent of social change in India as we can see that digitalization increases ease of accessibility, access to justice to everyone, thus also emboldening the constitutional provisions of equality and non-discrimination.

A worrying trend is 'digital gap', which manifests in form of rural-urban, male-female, literate-illiterate, poor-rich; digital divide. Therefore government programme of National Optical fibre Network of connecting 200000 Gram Panchayats is commendable.

Sociologists define social change as change in social structures, institutions, relations. Digitalization scores on every measure. Digitalization hits against caste generated handicaps like difficulties in accessing services, education, work, business etc. It is a great leveller, thus agent of social change.

Digitalization is also leading to deepening of democracy and grass root politics. It leads to political education and making citizens aware of their rights, duties.

Also, digitalization is leading to a change in mode of consumption - from consumerism to sustainable. People have become environmental conscious due to digital age and trying to harmonise development with ecology.

Digitalization of records, RTI has led to access of justice, thus changing interface of man and state in area of legal institutions. It increases legitimacy of state and people's confidence in it.

Digitalization can help in evolving a new social order in India - permeated by equality, liberty, listening to grievances, accessibility, equal citizenship to all. Digitalization has led to inclusion of disabled in mainstream through ease of education and other works.

Digitalization is also an asset in reducing poverty and can bring about a change in relations of production - both in industrial and agricultural setting. Digitalization will lead to total end of feudal relations, with setting up of National e-Market etc. Also subsidies leakage have been reduced with its help. As Andre Beteille remarked, "An agent of social change must be ridden of all pre-conceived notions and must be accessible to all". Digitalization stands on this.