International Journal of Scientific Research and Engineering Development

India’s rapid digitization has expanded connectivity, but how stratified media use translates into educational and cognitive outcomes remains largely unexplored. This study implements a cross-sectional, stratified multivariate design across four North Indian regions, with a final analytic sample of N = 1992, retention = 91.4%, to model links between media exposure and three focal outcomes, educational interest, digital literacy, and information evaluation, while testing demographic contrasts. Instruments for cognitive–psychosocial constructs achieved high reliability (α > 0.84). Media-exposure variables were z-standardized prior to analysis. Independent-samples t-tests showed no gender differences in educational interest (Male: M = 34.70, SD = 5.96; Female: M = 34.94, SD = 5.88; t(1990) = −0.87, p = 0.382, d = 0.04), information evaluation (Male: M = 69.23, SD = 18.90; Female: M = 69.75, SD = 18.45; t(1990) = −0.61, p = 0.542, d = 0.03), trust in media (Male: M = 88.45, SD = 13.94; Female: M = 88.11, SD = 13.36; t(1990) = 0.54, p = 0.589, d = 0.02), peer influence (Male: M = 108.72, SD = 13.79; Female: M = 108.11, SD = 14.37; t(1990) = 0.95, p = 0.342, d = 0.04), standardized media-hours (t(1990) = 0.11, p = 0.910, d = 0.01), or platforms used (t(1990) = 0.00, p = 0.998, d = 0.00). One-way ANOVAs likewise indicated no age effects on educational interest (F(2,1989) = 0.29, p = 0.745), digital literacy (F(2,1989) = 1.38, p = 0.253), information evaluation (F(2,1989) = 1.48, p = 0.228), trust in media (F(2,1989) = 1.81, p = 0.164), or peer influence (F(2,1989) = 0.02, p = 0.981). Findings reveal that demographic convergence by gender and age is robust across outcomes, while stratification is better explained outside simple demographic contrasts. Large-scale, stratified, India-specific multivariate design that integrates cognitive–psychosocial constructs with standardized media-exposure metrics, yielding precise nulls that refine digital-divide theory beyond gender/age heuristics.