Awareness and Usage of AI Reliance among Urban and Rural Undergraduates: A Comparative Study in Tripura
Keywords:
Artificial intelligence, AI Reliance, Awareness and Usage of AI, Urban and Rural UndergraduatesAbstract
This study addresses such a vital research gap in understanding how urban and rural undergraduate students in Tripura, the state of northeastern India differs in their awareness, usage patterns, and perceptions of artificial intelligence (AI) tools for academic purposes. Introducing a comparative quantitative approach with a structured questionnaire, this study was administered to 276 students (151 urban, 125 rural) across different colleges in Tripura by using stratified random sampling technique. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential methods including Chi-square tests and U tests to validate observed differences. The objectives of this study are mainly to assess how much urban and rural students have knowledge about artificial intelligence, its intended applications, and the difficulties they face. Important findings reveal that while both rural and urban Undergraduate student of Tripura use AI for foundational academic works such as finding information, making assignments, etc.; urban students surpass their rural counterparts in advanced AI applications such as document summarization, translation, and project ideation. The rural students have highlighted to report markedly higher challenges including insufficient AI expertise, technical knowledge gaps, and unreliable internet access and express stronger concern that AI hinders creative thinking. But the analysis shows that there are no significant urban and rural differences emerged in perceived benefits like enhanced writing skills or faster learning. It is also found that students from rural areas visit the library more frequently than those from urban areas. Although the majority of respondents acknowledge the potential of AI tools, there is still a lack of total trust in these technologies.
Downloads
References
Agrawal, T. (2014). Educational inequality in rural and urban India. International Journal of Educational Development, 34, 11–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2013.05.002
Akolekar, H., Jhamnani, P., Kumar, V., Tailor, V., Pote, A., Meena, A., Kumar, K., Challa, J. S., & Kumar, D. (2025). The role of generative AI tools in shaping mechanical engineering education from an undergraduate perspective. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 9214. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-93871-z
Al Naqbi, H., Bahroun, Z., & Ahmed, V. (2024). Enhancing work productivity through generative artificial intelligence: A comprehensive literature review. Sustainability, 16(3), 1166. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16031166
Babeș-Bolyai University, & Gabriela, F. (2023). Students’ information-seeking behavior and information needs. Revista Română de Biblioteconomie Și Știința Informării = Romanian Journal of Library and Information Science, 19(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.26660/rrbsi.2022.19.1.01
Bhat, I. (2022). Study Habits among Students: An Overview. Kala Sarovar. 23 (4). Retrieved from research gate on 20th December 2025.
Bhattacharjee, S., & Goswami, P. (2025). Impact of Social Media on Information Seeking and Library Usages among Undergraduate Students at Tripura. College Libraries, 40(1), 81–89. Retrieved from https://collegelibraries.in/index.php/CL/article/view/194
Bit, Dipanwita; Biswas, Souvik & Nag, Mrinmoy. (2024). The impact of artificial intelligence in educational system. International Journal of Scientific Research in Science and Technology, 11(4), 419–427. https://doi.org/10.32628/IJSRST2411424
Borah, B.; Sarmah, K. ; Sahnaj, R. ;Laskar, & Saikia, S.; Rouf, A.; Laskar, N.; Kawchar, F. (2024). The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Transforming University Employment: Insights from Guwahati, Northeast India. 20. 2457-2466.
Chaka, C. (2022). Fourth industrial revolution—A review of applications, prospects, and challenges for artificial intelligence, robotics and blockchain in higher education. Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, 18, 002. https://doi.org/10.58459/rptel.2023.18002
Chan, B. (2020). The rise of artificial intelligence and the crisis of moral passivity. AI & SOCIETY, 35(4), 991–993. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-020-00953-9
Chang, T.-S., Hsu, H.-Y., & Lei, Z. (2026). Exploring the role of GenAI self-efficacy in fostering university students’ creativity: An empirical study in Inner Mongolia and Taiwan. The International Journal of Management Education, 24(1), 101305. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2025.101305
Chen, M., & Xiao, X. (2022). The effect of social media on the development of students’ affective variables. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1010766. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1010766
Chuma, E. L., & De Oliveira, G. G. (2023). Generative ai for business decision-making: A case of chatgpt. Management Science and Business Decisions, 3(1), 5–11. https://doi.org/10.52812/msbd.63
Das, S. (2023). Inequality in Educational Attainment: Urban-Rural Comparison in the Indian Context. 6. 2189 - 2208. 10.10000/IJLMH.115631
Dhoni, P. (2023). Exploring the synergy between generative ai, data and analytics in the modern age. https://doi.org/10.36227/techrxiv.24045792.v1
Filgona, J., Sakiyo, J., Gwany, D. M., & Okoronka, A. U. (2020). Motivation in learning. Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies, 16–37. https://doi.org/10.9734/ajess/2020/v10i430273
Fitria, T. N. (2021). Artificial Intelligence (Ai) In Education: Using Ai Tools For Teaching And Learning Process. Prosiding Seminar Nasional & Call for Paper STIE AAS, 4(1), 134–147. Retrieved from https://prosiding.stie-aas.ac.id/index.php/prosenas/article/view/106
Ganapathi H B. (2024). Urban vs. Rural social structures in india: A comparative study. ShodhKosh: Journal of Visual and Performing Arts, 5(6). https://doi.org/10.29121/shodhkosh.v5.i6.2024.5049
Gandolfi, A. Gpt-4 in education: Evaluating aptness, reliability, and loss of coherence in solving calculus problems and grading submissions. Inter. J. of Artificial Intelligence in Education, 2025, 35(1), 367–397. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40593-024-00403-3
Goksel, N., & Bozkurt, A. (2019). Artificial Intelligence in Education: Current Insights and Future Perspectives. In S. Sisman-Ugur, & G. Kurubacak (Eds.), Handbook of Research on Learning in the Age of Transhumanism (pp. 224-236). Hershey, PA: IGI Global. Retrived from research gate on 20th December 2025.
Hao, X., Demir, E., & Eyers, D. (2024). Exploring collaborative decision-making: A quasi-experimental study of human and Generative AI interaction. Technology in Society, 78, 102662. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techsoc.2024.102662
Harjule, P., Manva, Mohd. T., Mehta, T., Gurjar, S., & Agarwal, B. (2023). Analysing misinformation sharing amongst college students in india during covid-19. Procedia Computer Science, 218, 671–685. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2023.01.048
Harry, A., & Sayudin, S. (2023). Role of ai in education. Interdiciplinary Journal and Hummanity (INJURITY), 2(3), 260–268. https://doi.org/10.58631/injurity.v2i3.52
Holmes, W., & Tuomi, I. (2022). State of the art and practice in AI in education. European Journal of Education, 57(4), 542–570. https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.12533
https://ica.tripura.gov.in/sites/default/files/1558-24%20Eng%20PR%20%23%20Government%20of%20Tripura%20launches%20of%20Wi-Fi%20Facility%20for%2019%20Government%20Colleges%20%28Phase%201%29.pdf (Government of Tripura Report)
Huang, S., Lai, X., Ke, L., Li, Y., Wang, H., Zhao, X., Dai, X., & Wang, Y. (2024). AI Technology panic-is AI Dependence Bad for Mental Health? A Cross-Lagged Panel Model and the Mediating Roles of Motivations for AI Use Among Adolescents. Psychology research and behavior management, 17, 1087–1102. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S440889
Madhukullya, S., Baruah, M., Mahanta, A., & Hazarika, A. (2024). Harnessing the impact of artificial intelligence in the preservation and transformation of folklore knowledge among the cosmopolitan city guwahati (Assam), india. Journal of Trends and Challenges in Artificial Intelligence, 1(2), 69–74. https://doi.org/10.61552/JAI.2024.02.004
Margam, M., Pandey, P., & Bharti, R. K. (2025). Use of chatgpt by the library and information science students at the university of delhi. DESIDOC Journal of Library & Information Technology, 45(2), 85–91. https://doi.org/10.14429/djlit.20570
Nijman, J., van Duijne, R. J., & Choithani, C. (2025). Urbanization and social change in rural India. Urban Studies, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/00420980251364677
Norbert, N. (2020). Differences In The Standards Living In Rural And Urban Areas, Annals of Faculty of Economics, University of Oradea, Faculty of Economics, 1(1), 79-88. Retrieved on 12th December 2025, https://ideas.repec.org/a/ora/journl/v1y2020i1p79-88.html
Pandey, J. & Chandra, S.(2024). Reading Habits among College Students. Pedagogy of Learning, 10, 11-22. https://doi.org/10.46704/pol.2024.v10i02.002
Pal, S. K., & Bhattacharjee, D. S. (2025). A study on collaborative research and authorship pattern in physical science discipline at tezpur university. Journal of Indian Library Association, 61(02), 225–236. https://journal.ilaindia.net/index.php/lib/index
Parreño-Castellano, J. M., & Barrado, V. J. (2025). The evolution of urban over rural areas. In F. Carrión Mena & S. Rodríguez Alvarez (Eds.), From the City as a Project to the City Project (pp. 85–107). Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-94226-6_6
Pateman, T. (2011). Rural and urban areas: Comparing lives using rural/urban classifications. Regional Trends, 43(1), 11–86. https://doi.org/10.1057/rt.2011.2
Prajapati, J. B., Kumar, A., Singh, S., Prajapati, B., Thakar, Y., Tambe, P. R., & Ved, A. (2024). Artificial intelligence-assisted generative pretrained transformers for applications of ChatGPT in higher education among graduates. SN Social Sciences, 4(2), 19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43545-023-00818- 0
Renuka, S. & Gurunathan, Deepa. (2017). Usage of internet for academic purposes by undergraduate students. Journal of Advanced Pharmacy Education and Research. 7. 18-21.
Sain, Z. H., Sain, S. H., & Serban, R. (2024). Student perspectives on internet use for academic achievement: A survey at the university of the punjab. Asian Journal of Information Science and Technology, 14(1), 47–53. https://doi.org/10.70112/ajist-2024.14.1.4255
Synekop, O., Lytovchenko, I., Lavrysh, Y., & Lukianenko, V. (2024). Use of chat gpt in english for engineering classes: Are students’ and teachers’ views on its opportunities and challenges similar? International Journal of Interactive Mobile Technologies (iJIM), 18(03), 129–146. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijim.v18i03.45025
Tao, L., Song, Y., & Fu, J. (2026). Exploring students’ self-regulated learning behavioural patterns and perceptions in an English speaking task within a generative AI-supported immersive VR environment. Computers & Education, 242, 105515. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2025.105515
Vieriu, A. M., & Petrea, G. (2025). The impact of artificial intelligence (Ai) on students’ academic development. Education Sciences, 15(3), 343. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15030343
Walck-Shannon, E. M., Rowell, S. F., & Frey, R. F. (2021). To what extent do study habits relate to performance? CBE—Life Sciences Education, 20(1), ar6. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.20-05-0091
Walck-Shannon, E. M., Rowell, S. F., & Frey, R. F. To what extent do study habits relate to performance CBE—Life Sciences Education, 2021, 20(1). https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.20-05-0091
Wang, S., Wang, F., Zhu, Z., Wang, J., Tran, T., & Du, Z. (2024). Artificial intelligence in education: A systematic literature review. Expert Systems with Applications, 252, 124167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eswa.2024.124167
Wineman, A., Alia, D. Y., & Anderson, C. L. (2020). Definitions of “rural” and “urban” and understandings of economic transformation: Evidence from Tanzania. Journal of Rural Studies, 79, 254–268. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2020.08.014
Zhai, C., Wibowo, S., & Li, L. D. (2024). The effects of over-reliance on AI dialogue systems on students’ cognitive abilities: A systematic review. Smart Learning Environments, 11(1), 28. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-024-00316-7
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Journal of Indian Library Association
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
