The ITU publishes an annual ranking of ICT development, with ICT access and use being given 40 percent of the weight each and a sub-component known as skills, made up of education indicators, given 20 percent.
Of the SAARC countries, Afghanistan and Bangladesh are not covered.
Of the six that are covered, Maldives and Sri Lanka hold on to their 72nd and 105th places, showing no improvement nor regression.
Bhutan falls back one place to 118; India three places to 119; Pakistan two places to 127 and Nepal brings up the rear at 137th place (a regression of 3 places from 2010).
It is not that their scores have not improved. They have, but not by enough.
One can gain a better perspective by looking at the South East Asian countries Indonesia (per capita GDP slightly higher than Sri Lanka) and Vietnam (per capita GDP slightly lower than India).
Vietnam is in 81st place (a five-place advance from 2010). Indonesia is in 95th place (a two-place advance since 2010).
In subsequent posts the possible causes of poor performance by S Asian countries will be discussed.
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