Lok Sabha Question No. 4343 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-27
Subject: Steps to Increase Literacy Rate
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Aparupa  Poddar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4343 ANSWERED ON 27.03.2023

## Steps to Increase Literacy Rate

## 4343 . SHRIMATI APARUPA PODDAR:

- Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that the literacy rate of country in 2023 is 77.7 per cent as compared to the literacy rate of 73 per cent in 2011; (b) the action proposed to be taken by the Government to increase the literacy rate over 90 per cent in the country therefor; and (c) the action taken by the Government to return the school dropout students
- during post-Covid period and increase of female literacy rates therefor?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SMT. ANNPURNA DEVI)

- (a)  The  literacy  data  in  India  is  collected  through  decennial  census  operation conducted by the Registrar General of India. As per the Census of India 2011, the  literacy  rate  of  India  was  72.98%.  As  per  information  from  National Statistical  Office,  Ministry  of  Statistics  and  Programme  Implementation,  the literacy rate of India in 2017 was 77.7%.
- (b) & (c) : In order to increase the literacy rate in India, the Department of School Education and Literacy launched an integrated Centrally Sponsored Scheme for school education i.e. 'Samagra Shiksha' with effect from the FY 2018-19. The scheme subsumes the three erstwhile Centrally Sponsored Schemes viz. 'Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan' (SSA), 'Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan' (RMSA) and 'Teacher Education'. It envisages 'school' as a continuum from pre-school, primary, upper primary, secondary to senior secondary levels. The States/Union Territories are assisted by the Central Government to implement the Samagra Shiksha as a programme for providing   universal   access and retention, bridging

the gender and   social category in education and enhancement of learning level of children at all levels of school education. The scheme is in accordance with Sustainable  Development  Goal  (SDG)  for  Education  and  is  aligned  with  the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 i.e. to  ensure inclusive and  equitable, quality and holistic school education. The scheme was initially approved from FY 2018-19 to FY 2020-21 and extended upto FY 2025-26.

In  order  to  improve  the  literacy  rate  among  adults  in  India,  a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Adult Education namely Saakshar Bharat was implemented  in  the  rural  areas  of  404  districts  in  26  States  and  one  Union Territory, that had adult female literacy rate 50 per cent and below as per Census of India 2001, including left wing extremism affected districts, irrespective of their literacy rates, with special focus on women and other disadvantaged groups. The target was to raise the overall literacy rate of India to 80 per cent and reduce gender gap to 10 percentage point by end of XII Five Year Plan. The Scheme was  extended  upto  31.03.2018.  During  the  implementation  of  the  Saakshar Bharat  Scheme,  against  the  overall  target  of  7.00  crore  adult  non-literates  as literates, around 7.64 crore learners (Female: 5.38 crore Male: 2.26 crore) who passed  the  biannual  Basic  Literacy  Assessment  Tests  conducted  by  National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) between August, 2010 to March, 2018, were certified as literates.

Subsequently,  a  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  of  Adult  Education  'Padhna Likhna Abhiyaan' was implemented in India during the FY 2020-21, with target of  48.16  lakh  adult  non-literates  as  literates.  The  Scheme  was  extended  upto 31.03.2022.

The Union of India has approved a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme, namely Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram (New India Literacy Programme - NILP) to align with the National Education Policy 2020 and to support all the States and Union Territories in promoting literacy among non-literates across the country covering 5.00 crore non-literates under Foundational Literacy and Numeracy of the scheme with a financial outlay of Rs.1037.90 crore including Central Share of Rs.700.00 crore and State Share of Rs.337.90 crore during the implementation period from 2022-23 to 2026-27.

The Department of School Education & Literacy, in order to prevent drop outs, lower enrolments and loss of learning has issued guidelines on 13th July, 2020 for identification, smooth admission process and continued education of migrant children. Students of residential schools were provided temporary admission in schools nearby their homes, as they may not go back to their residential schools during COVID-19.

Further, to ensure that children have access to education with quality and equity and to minimize the impact of the pandemic on school education in the country, Ministry of Education has shared guidelines dated 7th January, 2021 with all States  which,  among  others,  include  identification  of  out  of  school  children from  age  6-18  years,  enrolment  drives  and  awareness  generation,  student support  while  schools  are  closed,  continued  education  for  the  Children  with Special  Needs  (CwSN),  student  support  on  school  reopening  and  teacher capacity building.

To ensure greater participation of girls in schools and to reduce drop-out rate of girls, various interventions have been targeted under Samagra Shiksha which include  opening  of  schools  in  the  neighbourhood  as  defined  by  the  State, provision of free text-books &  uniforms to girls up to Class VIII, provision of gender segregated toilets in all schools, teachers' sensitization programmes to promote  girls'  participation,  provision  for  self-defence  training  for  the  girls from  classes  VI  to  XII,  stipend  to  CwSN  girls  from  class  I  to  Class  XII, construction  of  residential  quarters  for  teachers  in  remote/hilly  areas/in areas  with  difficult  terrain,  vocationalization  of  secondary  education,  special projects  for  equity  such  as  life  skills,  awareness  programmes,  incinerators, sanitary pad vending machines.

Under the scheme, 'Samagra Shiksha', financial assistance is provided to States and Union Territories for various activities to reducing dropout rate of students including opening/strengthening of new schools upto senior secondary level; and to construction of school buildings & additional classrooms; setting up of the  Netaji  Subhash  Chandra  Bose  Avasiya  Vidyalayas  and  to  provide  to students'  free  uniforms,  free  text  books,  transport  allowance  and  to  do enrolment  &  retention  drives.  Further,  special  training  for  aged-appropriate admission of out of school children; and residential as well as non-residential training for older children, seasonal hostels / residential camps, special training centres at worksites, transport/ escort facility are also supported to bring out of school children to the formal schooling system.

Since 2021-22, financial assistance upto Rs. 2000 per annum is being provided for supporting Out of School Children including migrant children of age group of  16-19  years,  belonging  to  socio  economically  disadvantaged  groups,  for completing  their  education  through  National  Institute  of  Open  Schooling (NIOS)  /  State  Institute  of  Open  Schooling  (SIOS)  for  accessing  course materials and certification.

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