Role of television as a source of information on Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan in West Bengal: A case study

Lack of communicating different social issues to the people through different communication channels is a big threat for the social development of rural India where remarkable portions of population are illiterate and they themselves do not know how to access information sources.

This study is conducted in the Siliguri Educational Circle of Darjeeling District where total population was ten lakhs according to census 2011, forty-five percent of them are illiterate while seventy-five percent are labourer either in agriculture or other sector to identify the use of television among this rural community to know their awareness level about the functioning of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

People are interested to watch TV programme on SSA but unable to access relevant information through TV because of inconvenient time schedule of broadcasting the programmes having messages for SSA. So for the sake of awareness it needs to broadcast more TV programmes on SSA on regular basis for the people at their convenient time.

The study that television plays an important role as a source of information. In addition to this, direct oral communication which is considered as the cheapest source of information may satisfy the information needs of the people. People may informally consult any government personnel, or any influential person or people of local administration for some information on SSA in the form of advice.