Lok Sabha Question No. 2507 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-01
Subject: Literacy Rate among Muslims
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Kunwar Danish Ali, Kani K. Navas

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2507 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01.08.2022

## Literacy Rate among Muslims

## 2507.  KUNWAR DANISH ALI: SHRI K. NAVASKANI:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  noticed  the  reasons  behind  very  low  literacy  rate  among Muslims in the country and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the steps being taken in this regard; and

(c)  whether  the  Government  has  any  plan  to  open  more  schools  in  the  Muslim  populated areas of the country;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a) As per 2011 Census, the literacy rate of Muslims in India is 68.54%, less than the national average of 72.98%.

(b)  The  following  steps  have  been  taken  by  the  Government  of  India  for  improvement  of literacy in the country, including Muslims:-

(i) The Department of School Education and Literacy with effect from 2018-19 launched an Integrated Centrally Sponsored Scheme for School Education- Samagra Shiksha. The scheme has now been aligned with the recommendations of NEP 2020 to ensure that all children  have  access  to  quality  education  with  an  equitable  and  inclusive  classroom environment  which  should  take  care  of  their  diverse  background,  multilingual  needs, different academic abilities and make them active participants in the learning process.

(ii)   In  order to improve literacy rate, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Adult Education namely Saakshar Bharat was implemented in the rural areas of 404 districts in 26 States and one UT, that had adult female literacy rate of 50 percent and below as per Census 2001, including left wing extremism affected districts, irrespective of their literacy rates, with special focus on women and other disadvantaged groups including Muslims since October 2009. The scheme was extended upto 31.03.2019. During the implementation of Saakshar Bharat scheme, against the overall target of making 7.00 crore (including 1.20 crore Muslims) adult non-literates as literates, around 7.64 crore learners, having 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.

(iii) Further, a Centrally Sponsored  Scheme  of  Adult  Education 'Padhna  Likhna Abhiyan' was implemented in rural and urban areas of 33 State/UTs during the financial year 2020-21, with a target of making 48.16 lakh adult non-literates as literates. Its focus was  on  women,  SCs,  STs,  Minorities  (including  Muslims)  and  other  disadvantaged groups. The scheme was extended upto 31.03.2022.

(iv)   A  new  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme,  'New  India  Literacy  Programme'  has  been approved for implementation during 2022-23 to 2026-27 across the country with special focus on non-literates of socially and economically disadvantages groups, with priority to girls/women, SC/ST/OBC, minorities including Muslims, persons with Special Needs/Divyangjans, Marginalized/Nomadics, Construction Workers/Labourers, etc.

(c) to (e): Education is in the Concurrent list of the Constitution and opening of schools is within  the  purview  of  respective  State  Government  and  UT  Administration-which  are  the appropriate  Government  under  the  Right  of  Children  to  Free  and  Compulsory  Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

In  pursuance to Section 6 of the Act, the States have notified area or limits of their neighbourhood norms in their state RTE Rules, factoring in their State specific condition, for opening of schools.

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