A study of internet usage among secondary school students of Delhi

The goal of the current study was to examine the usage of internet and the relationship between three major purposes of internet usage that are entertainment, communication, and educationamong secondary school students of Delhi. Understanding how students use the internet for various purposes has grown crucial as digital technology becomes more and more integrated into daily life. The research involved a group of 300 students, equally divided between 150 boys and 150 girls, and the data were examined. The results indicated that there is no notable difference in internet usage between girls and boys. Additionally, there is no significant disparity between the genders in using the internet for communication and educational purposes. However, when it came to utilising the internet for entertainment, there was a noticeable gender difference. All three purposes of internet usage are positively and significantly correlated with each other. The correlation between entertainment and communication was r = 0.437, indicating a moderate positive relationship. The correlation between entertainment and education was r = 0.220, showing a low positive correlation. A moderate positive correlation (r = 0.459) was observed between communication and education. These results suggest that students’ internet usage is multifunctional and interrelated, encompassing leisure, social interaction, and academic learning. The study implies the need for balanced internet use to maximise educational benefits.