Status of Literacy
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STATUS OF LITERACY 6 STATUS OF LITERACY PHOTO COURTESY : UNICEF PROVISIONAL POPULATION TOTALS 123 “ Educate one man, you educate one person, but educate a woman and you educate a whole civilisation ” - Mahatma Gandhi 124 STATUS OF LITERACY 6 STATUS OF LITERACY Literacy and education are important indicators in a society and play a central role in human development that impacts overall social-economic development milieu. Higher levels of literacy and education lead to better attainment of health and nutritional status, economic growth, population control, empowerment of the weaker sections and community as a whole. Also, higher literacy rates improve development indicators consistently. Census obtains information on literacy for every individual, as this is recognised as one of the most important social characteristics. In census, a person aged seven years and above who can both read and write in any language, is treated as ‘literate’. A person, who can only read but cannot write, is not considered as ‘literate’. It is not necessary that a person should receive any formal education or pass any minimum education standard. Literacy can also be achieved in adult literacy classes or through any non-formal education system. People who are blind but can read in braille have been treated as literates. All children of six years age or less are treated as ‘illiterate’ even if the child is going to a school and has picked up reading and writing skills. In the Censuses prior to 1991, children below five years of age were treated as illiterates. Since the ability to read and write with understanding is not ordinarily achieved until one has time to develop these skills, therefore in 1991 Census, it was decided that all children in the age group of 0-6 years be treated as illiterate by definition and population aged seven years and above only be classified as either ‘literate’ or ‘illiterate’. Since then, the same criterion has been retained in subsequent censuses of 2001 and 2011. In the Censuses up to the year 1981, it was customary to work-out literacy rate taking into account the total population (Crude literacy rate). Since, literacy rate is more meaningful if the sub-population in the age group of 0-6 years is excluded from the total population, it was decided in 1991 Census to use the term literacy rate for the population relating to seven years and above (Effective literacy rate). The same concept has continued in censuses of 2001 and 2011. PROVISIONAL POPULATION TOTALS 125 6.1. INDIA AND STATES As per the provisional figures of Census 2011, in India 77,84,54,120 persons have been counted as literates. Among all literates, 33,42,50,358 are females, whereas 44,42,03,762 are males. The literacy rate of India in 2011 is 74.0 per cent. Literacy rate among females is 65.5 per cent whereas the literacy rate among males is 82.1 per cent. Statement 6.1 Literacy Rate : India 1981-2011 Year Literacy Rate Gap in Fig. 6.1 Literacy : India 1981-2011 Fig: 6.1 Literacy Rate in India 1981-2011 Persons Males Females literacy Persons MalesMales FemalesFemales GapGap in Literacy in Literacy 1981 43.6 56.4 29.8 26.6 90.090 1991 52.2 64.1 39.3 24.8 80.080 70.070 2001 64.8 75.3 53.7 21.6 60.060 50.050 2011 74.0 82.1 65.5 16.6 40.040 Percentage 30.0 Note: Percentage 30 20.020 1. Literacy rate for 1981, 1991, 2001 and 2011 Census relate to the 10.010 0.0 population aged seven years and above. 0 1981 1991 2001 2011 2. The 1981 Literacy rates exclude Assam where Census could not be 1981 1991 2001 2011 Census Year conducted. The 1991 Census Literacy rates exclude Jammu & Kashmir Census Year where Census could not be conducted due to disturbed conditions. In order of higher literacy rates; Kerala, Lakshadweep and Mizoram states hold first, second and third positions respectively; whereas in female literacy, Kerala is the first while Mizoram and Lakshadweep hold second and third positions among all States and Union Territories. Literacy rates by sex for top five and bottom five states/UTs in India are given in statement 6.2. Statement 6.2 Top five and bottom five states/UT’s by Literacy rate : 2011 Rank Persons Males Females Name of State/UT Literacy Name of State/UT Literacy Name of State/UT Literacy Rate Rate Rate Top five states/UT’s INDIA 74.0 INDIA 82.1 INDIA 65.5 1 Kerala 93.9 Lakshadweep 96.1 Kerala 92.0 2 Lakshadweep 92.3 Kerala 96.0 Mizoram 89.4 3 Mizoram 91.6 Mizoram 93.7 Lakshadweep 88.2 4 Tripura 87.8 Goa 92.8 Tripura 83.1 5 Goa 87.4 Tripura 92.2 A & N Islands 81.8 Bottom five states/UT's INDIA 74.0 INDIA 82.1 INDIA 65.5 1 Bihar 63.8 Bihar 73.4 Rajasthan 52.7 2 Arunachal Pradesh 67.0 Arunachal Pradesh 73.7 Bihar 53.3 3 Rajasthan 67.1 Andhra Pradesh 75.6 Jharkhand 56.2 4 Jharkhand 67.6 Meghalaya 77.2 Jammu & Kashmir 58.0 5 Andhra Pradesh 67.7 Jammu & Kashmir 78.3 Uttar Pradesh 59.3 126 STATUS OF LITERACY 6.2 MADHYA PRADESH Total number of literates in Madhya Pradesh is 4,38,27,193 wherein 1,79,79,056 are females and 2,58,48,137 are males. In 2011, literacy rate of Madhya Pradesh is 70.6 per cent as compared to 63.7 per cent in the year 2001. During the last decade the rise in literacy rate of Madhya Pradesh is 6.9 percentage points. Female and male literacy rates in 2011 are 60.0 per cent and 80.5 per cent respectively. In 2001, female literacy rate was 50.3 per cent whereas male literacy rate was 76.1 per cent. The rise in female literacy is 9.7 percentage points whereas male literacy rate has increased by 4.5 percentage points (Statement 6.4). In Census 2001, Madhya Pradesh stood 24th in the country in literacy whereas in 2011 it has slipped to 28th position, same as in female literacy rate. Statement 6.3 Decadal variation in Literacy rate : Madhya Pradesh 1981-2011 Year Literacy Rate Fig. 6.2 Literacy rate: Madhya Pradesh 1981-2011 1981 38.6 80 1991 44.7 70 2001 63.7 60 2011 70.6 50 Percentage Literacy rate 40 30 1981 1991 2001 2011 Census Year Statement 6.4 Fig. 6.3 Literacy rate by sex : Madhya Pradesh 1991-2011 Literacy rate by sex: Madhya Pradesh 1991-2011 90 Persons Males Females Gap in Literacy 80 Year Literacy rate Gap in 70 Persons Males Females literacy 60 50 1991 44.7 58.5 29.4 29.2 40 Percentage 30 2001 63.7 76.1 50.3 25.8 20 2011 70.6 80.5 60.0 20.5 10 0 1991 2001 2011 Census Year PHOTO COURTESY : UNICEF PROVISIONAL POPULATION TOTALS 127 Statement 6.5 shows the number of literates and illiterates in the population aged seven years and above for Madhya Pradesh in 2001 and 2011 censuses. It is evident from the statement that increase in number of male and female literates is almost equal whereas increase in numbers of illiterate in females is more than in males. Statement 6.5 Number of literates and illiterates among population aged 7 years and above and their change : 2001 and 2011 Literates/Illiterates Persons Males Females Literates 2001 3,15,92,563 1,96,72,274 1,19,20,289 2011 4,38,27,193 2,58,48,137 1,79,79,056 Increase in 2011 over 2001 1,22,34,630 61,75,863 60,58,767 Illiterates 2001 1,79,73,246 61,91,531 1,17,81,715 2011 1,82,22,077 62,47,826 1,19,74,251 Increase in 2011 over 2001 2,48,831 56,295 1,92,536 6.3 MADHYA PRADESH AND EAG STATES Literacy status of Madhya Pradesh and Empowered Action Group (EAG) states is given in statement 6.6. Among these states, Uttarakhand holds the first position whereas Madhya Pradesh holds fourth position in total literacy as well as in female literacy. Statement 6.6 Literacy Rate by sex: India, Madhya Pradesh and EAG states 2011 Sl No India/State Literacy rate Persons Males Females Fig. 6.4 Literacy Rate : India, Madhya Pradesh and EAG States-2011 1 India 74.0 82.1 65.5 80 2 Uttarakhand 79.6 88.3 70.7 70 3 Orissa 73.5 82.4 64.4 60 4 Chattisgarh 71.0 81.5 60.6 50 Percentage Persons 5 Madhya Pradesh 70.6 80.5 60.0 40 Females 6 Uttar Pradesh 69.7 79.2 59.3 30 7 Jharkhand 67.6 78.5 56.2 20 India 8 Rajasthan 67.1 80.5 52.7 Bihar Orissa Rajasthan Jharkhand Chattisgarh 9 Bihar 63.8 73.4 53.3 Uttarakhand Uttar PradeshUttar Madhya Pradesh Madhya India and EAG states 128 STATUS OF LITERACY 6.4 MadhyA Pradesh and NeighBouring States The following statement gives the literacy rates of Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring states as per provisional figures of Census 2011. Statement 6.7 Literacy Rate : India, Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring states 2011 Sl No India/State Literacy rate Fig. 6.5 Literacy Rate : India, Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring states 2011 90 Persons Males Females Persons Females 80 1 India 74.0 82.1 65.5 70 60 2 Maharashtra 82.9 89.8 75.5 50 3 Gujarat 79.3 87.2 70.7 40 Percentage 30 4 Chhatisgarh 71.0 81.5 60.6 20 10 5 Madhya Pradesh 70.6 80.5 60.0 0 6 Uttar Pradesh 69.7 79.2 59.3 India Gujarat Rajasthan 7 Rajasthan 67.1 80.5 52.7 Chhatisgarh Maharashtra UttarPradesh Madhya Pradesh Madhya India and neighbouring states Decadal variation in literacy rates of India, Madhya Pradesh and neighbouring states is given in the next statement.