The Department of Library and Information Science, Swami Vivekananda Subharti University, Meerut was organised a guest lecture titled “Information Literacy in the Age of Misinformation and Digital Overload” on April 28th, 2026. The keynote speaker was Prof. Dr. M. Madhusudan, Professor, DLIS, University of Delhi, New Delhi. The primary objective of this guest lecture was to sensitise students, research scholars, and faculty members regarding the critical importance of information literacy in contemporary academic and social contexts. The lecture further aimed to equip the audience with an awareness of the growing menace of misinformation, fake news, and digital information overload that characterises the present digital era. In addition, the session sought to foster among participants an understanding of the tools and strategies available for evaluating the credibility and authenticity of information encountered across diverse digital platforms.
The program was inaugurated by Dr. Sudhir Tyagi, Dean, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. He welcomed the distinguished speaker and emphasised the academic significance of such events. In his welcome address, Dr. Tyagi underscored that information literacy has evolved beyond being a mere academic skill to become an indispensable life competency in the digital age, and that interactive lectures of this nature play a pivotal role in preparing students to navigate contemporary informational challenges effectively.
In his keynote address, Prof. Dr. M. Madhusudan elaborated that the exponential proliferation of information in the digital age has rendered the distinction between accurate and erroneous knowledge increasingly challenging. He articulated that information literacy must not be confined to the mere retrieval of information, rather, it must encompass the critical evaluation, verification, and responsible application of that information. The speaker drew particular attention to the alarming spread of fake news and misleading content across social media platforms and digital environments, underscoring that students bear a special professional responsibility as custodians and facilitators of reliable information.
The lecture was followed by an interactive question-and-answer session during which students engaged enthusiastically with the speaker. The vote of thanks was extended by Dr. Sapna Sharma on behalf of the department. The session was attended by faculty members including Dr. Javed Khan, Dr. Sapna Sharma, Dr. Alpana, and Smt. Bhavna Joshi, alongside students and administrative staff of the department.
The guest lecture yielded several significant academic and intellectual outcomes. Students and research scholars acquired a comprehensive understanding of information literacy as a multidimensional competency that extends well beyond the technical retrieval of data to encompass critical thinking, source evaluation, and ethical information use. Participants demonstrated a heightened awareness of the challenges posed by the digital information landscape, particularly with regard to misinformation and digital overload. Overall, the programme was deemed highly successful by the faculty and participants alike.
