Lok Sabha Question No. 212 (STARRED), answered on 2016-05-09
Subject: Literacy
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: RAVNEET SINGH, JITENDRA CHAUDHURY

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO.212 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.05.2016

## Literacy

## *212.  SHRI RAVNEET SINGH: SHRI JITENDRA CHAUDHURY:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  UNESCO  Report  2015  reveals  that  a  considerable  Indian  population  is illiterate and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has conducted any survey to assess literate population across the country and if so, the details thereof during the last three years, State/UT and year-wise;
- (c) the ratio between literate and illiterate people in the country, State/UT-wise;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  has  signed  any  agreement  with  any  Non-Governmental Organisations or foreign countries for promoting literacy in the country and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)  the  other  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  improve  literacy  rate  in  the country?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

- (a) to (e) A statement is laid on the table of the House.

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  TO  (e)  OF  THE  LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 212 FOR 9.5.2016 ASKED BY SHRI RAVNEET SINGH AND SHRI JITENDRA CHAUDHURY REGARDING 'LITERACY'.

(a) As per the 'Education for All: Global Monitoring Report 2015' published by UNESCO, around 28.55 crore adult illiterates  are  reported  in  India.    They  constitute  36.5  per  cent  of world illiterates.

(b)  &  (c)  The  literacy  data  in  the  country  is  collected  through  decennial  census  operation conducted  by  Registrar  General  of  India.  The  last  census  was  held  in  2011.  A  statement indicating State/UT-wise number of literates, literacy and illiteracy rates, in 7 and above age group, as reported by Census 2011 is annexed .

(d) No Madam. (e)  In  order  to  improve  literacy  rate,  Saakshar  Bharat,  a  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  for Adult Education and Skill Development is being implemented in rural areas of 410 districts in 26 States and one UT that had adult female literacy rate of 50 per cent and below as per Census  2001,  and  including  left  wing  extremism  affected  districts,  irrespective  of  their literacy  rates,  with  special  focus  on  women  and  other  disadvantaged  groups.  In  addition, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), a Centrally Sponsored Scheme is also being implemented in conjunction  with  the  Right  of  Children  to  Free  and  Compulsory  Education  Act,  2009  for universalisation of elementary education for all children in the 6-14 age group.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) & (c) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 212 FOR 9.5.2016 ASKED BY SHRI RAVNEET SINGH AND SHRI JITENDRA CHAUDHURY REGARDING 'LITERACY'.

State/UT-wise literates, literacy and illiteracy rates, in the age group of 7 and above (As per Census 2011)

| Sl. No   | India/States/UTs         | No. of Literates   |   Literacy rate |   Illiteracy rate |
|----------|--------------------------|--------------------|-----------------|-------------------|
|          | INDIA                    | 76,36,38,812       |           72.98 |             27.02 |
| 1        | ANDHRA PRADESH           | 5,05,56,760        |           67.02 |             32.98 |
| 2        | ARUNACHAL PRADESH        | 7,66,005           |           65.38 |             34.62 |
| 3        | ASSAM                    | 1,91,77,977        |           72.19 |             27.81 |
| 4        | BIHAR                    | 5,25,04,553        |           61.8  |             38.2  |
| 5        | CHHATTISGARH             | 1,53,79,922        |           70.28 |             29.72 |
| 6        | GOA                      | 11,65,487          |           88.7  |             11.3  |
| 7        | GUJARAT                  | 4,10,93,358        |           78.03 |             21.97 |
| 8        | HARYANA                  | 1,65,98,988        |           75.55 |             24.45 |
| 9        | HIMACHAL PRADESH         | 50,39,736          |           82.8  |             17.2  |
| 10       | JAMMU &KASHMIR           | 70,67,233          |           67.16 |             32.84 |
| 11       | JHARKHAND                | 1,83,28,069        |           66.41 |             33.59 |
| 12       | KARNATAKA                | 4,06,47,322        |           75.36 |             24.64 |
| 13       | KERALA                   | 2,81,35,824        |           94    |              6    |
| 14       | MADHYA PRADESH           | 4,28,51,169        |           69.32 |             30.68 |
| 15       | MAHARASHTRA              | 8,15,54,290        |           82.34 |             17.66 |
| 16       | MANIPUR                  | 19,08,476          |           76.94 |             23.06 |
| 17       | MEGHALAYA                | 17,85,005          |           74.43 |             25.57 |
| 18       | MIZORAM                  | 8,48,175           |           91.33 |              8.67 |
| 19       | NAGALAND                 | 13,42,434          |           79.55 |             20.45 |
| 20       | ODISHA                   | 2,67,42,595        |           72.87 |             27.13 |
| 21       | PUNJAB                   | 1,87,07,137        |           75.84 |             24.16 |
| 22       | RAJASTHAN                | 3,82,75,282        |           66.11 |             33.89 |
| 23       | SIKKIM                   | 4,44,952           |           81.42 |             18.58 |
| 24       | TAMIL NADU               | 5,18,37,507        |           80.09 |             19.91 |
| 25       | TRIPURA                  | 28,04,783          |           87.22 |             12.78 |
| 26       | UTTAR PRADESH            | 11,43,97,555       |           67.68 |             32.32 |
| 27       | UTTARAKHAND              | 68,80,953          |           78.82 |             21.18 |
| 28       | WEST BENGAL              | 6,15,38,281        |           76.26 |             23.74 |
| 29       | ANDAMAN &NICOBAR ISLANDS | 2,94,281           |           86.63 |             13.37 |
| 30       | CHANDIGARH               | 8,05,438           |           86.05 |             13.95 |
| 31       | DADRA &NAGARHAVELI       | 2,23,230           |           76.24 |             23.76 |
| 32       | DAMAN &DIU               | 1,88,406           |           87.1  |             12.9  |
| 33       | LAKSHADWEEP              | 52,553             |           91.85 |              8.15 |
| 34       | NCT OF DELHI             | 1,27,37,767        |           86.21 |             13.79 |
| 35       | PUDUCHERRY               | 9,57,309           |           85.85 |             14.15 |

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