STUDY OF SOCIO- ECONOMIC BACKWARDNESS AND ITS LINKAGE WITH LITERACY LEVEL IN VILUPPURAM DISTRICT Submitted to State Planning Commission, Government of Tamil Nadu September, 2015 Prepared by PRIA Foundation for Research and Development Chennai 0 Table of Contents Abbreviations Acknowledgements List of Tables SLNO CONTENT DETAILS PAGE NUMBER Executive Summary 6 Chapter 1 Objective, Scope and Methodology of the study 9 Chapter 2 Issues related to linkage between Socio economic 15 backwardness, Literacy and Education - An overview Chapter 3 Aspects of Literacy, Education and Socio Economic 37 Conditions in Viluppuram District Chapter 4 Linkage between Socio Economic Conditions, Literacy 66 and Education Attainment - Findings from the Field Survey Chapter 5 State Interventions related to Backwardness and Literacy 99 in Kalrayan Hills (most backward) block in the district Chapter 6 Conclusions and Recommendations 116 References 125 Appendix 1 Human Development Index of Districts in Tamilnadu 127 Appendix 2 Ranking of blocks in Viluppuram district based on 128 Composite backwardness Index Appendix 3 Survey Schedule in Tamil 130 Appendix 4 List of Arts , Science, Education and Engineering colleges 137 in Viluppuram district Appendix 5 Details of State interventions under SBGF in Kalrayan Hills 148 block in the district Appendix 6 Consultation report on Child Labour in Viluppuram by 154 UNICEF and Labour Department Appendix 7 Success Stories of National Child Labour Project in Salem 168 District, Tamil Nadu. Appendix 8 List of NGOs in Kalrayan Hills,Viluppuram district 179 1 Abbreviations AAY Antyodaya Anna Yojana APL Above Poverty Line BC Backward Community BPL Below Poverty Line CSR Child Sex Ratio HDI Human Development Index HHs Household(s) GoTN Government of Tamil Nadu GTR Government Tribal Residential school ICDS Integrated Child Development Scheme ICPS Integrated Child Protection Scheme IMR Infant Mortality Rate JNNURM Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission NCLP National Child Labour Project MGNREGA Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act MBC Most Backward Community OC Other Community OSC Out of School Children PG Post Graduate PDS Public Distribution System SSA Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan SPC State Planning Commission SC Schedule Caste ST Schedule Tribes UG Under Graduate UNICEF United Nations Children‘s Education Fund VAO Village Administrative Officer VEC Village Education Committee 2 Acknowledgements I express my sincere thanks to the following for undertaking the study and completion of the report : Mrs.Santha Sheela Nair ,IAS (retd) ,Vice Chairperson ,SPC has given the opportunity to undertake the study and valuable comments during the presentation. Mr.Anil Meshram. I.A.S.,Member Secretary and Dr.Sugato Dutt ,IFS ,SPC who have shown interest in the study . Mr.K.Kumaresan ,HOD (Education and Employment ) ,SPC for the opportunity, help and interest in conduct of the study . Prof.Athreya ,Adviser ,MSSRF for his continuous interest , encouragement and comments during the presentation. Mr.R.Vidyasagar, UNICEF (retd) ,Chennai has provided regular guidance for the study and contacts in the district for undertaking field visits. Mr.Chezhlian ,and Ms Kalpana Lifeline Trust and Mr.Balamurugan ,Geneva Global ,Chennai and their team members for sharing information and help for conduct of the field surveys. Various District level Government Departments like Education (SSA),Rural Development, Pudu Vazhlvu, Tribal Development, etc for providing required data related to their department schemes . Members of village Panchyats, School Teachers, and general public in the selected blocks for actively participating in group interviews, household surveys and provided valuable information about their villages, communities and households . A number of resource persons and staff of SPC for their comments and help during the presentation of the report. Others who have directly and indirectly helped for the study. Dr. A. Rajagopal Director PRIA Foundation 3 List of Tables Table 1.1 List of Selected Blocks and Village Panchayats for the study Table 3.1 Total and Percent of SC and ST population-Talukwise Table 3.2 Rural and Urban population-Block wise Table 3.3 Education and Literacy in Viluppuram district Table-3.4 Literacy rate and gender gap by blocks Table 3.5 School Age Population - 2013-2014 (Age group 5 to 10 Table 3.6 School Age Population - 2013-2014 (Age group 11to 13) Table 3.7 GER – Primary -2013-14 Table 3.8 GER – Upper Primary block wise in the district Table 3.9 NER – Primary during 2013-2014 Table 3.10 NER – Upper Primary - 2013-2014 Table 3.11 Completion Rate - Primary - 2013-14 Table 3.12 Dropout Rate - Primary - 2013-14 Table 3.13 Dropout Rate –Upper Primary 2013- 14 Table 3.14 Enrolment of Out of School Children 2013-14 Table 3.15 Transition Rate – Std.V to Std.VI -2013-14 Table 3.16 Transition Rate – Std.VIII to Std.IX -2013-14 Table 3.17 – Education Development Indicators Table 3.18 Composite EDI at Primary and Upper Primary Level 2011-12 Table 4.1 List of Selected Blocks and Village Panchayats Table 4.2 Distribution of sample households across block and villages Table 4 .3 Distribution of sample households across block and villages by caste Table 4.4 Land Holding Pattern of Sample HHs (in acre) 4 Table 4.5: Sources of income of HH Table 4.6 Distribution of sample households across block and villages by caste and level of education of the head of Household Table 4.7 Literacy and education attainment of members of Households Table 4.8 Distribution of sample households by level of education and occupation of head of household Table 4.9 Educational Attainment of Household Members -Male and Female, Total Table 4.10 Distribution of sample households by housing conditions Table 4.11 Distribution of sample households by access to safe Drinking water facility Table 4.12 Distribution of sample households by access to toilet Table 4.13 Distribution of sample households across block and villages by availing of loan and purposes Table 4.14 Distribution of sample households across block and villages by having ration card Table 4.15 Distribution of sample households across block and villages by Dropout Table 4.16 Distribution of sample households across block and villages by Reason for Dropout Table 4.17 Distribution of sample households across block and villages by availing of scholarship Table 4.18 Distributions of household based response for relationship between education and doing work Table 4.19 Distribution of household based response for relationship between education and economic growth Table 4.20 Distribution of household by response about send their children to higher studies Table 4.21 Regression output—Correlation between educational attainment of Household members and their socio-economic conditions 5 Executive Summary The study was undertaken with the objective of understanding the factors underlying the socio-economic backwardness in relation to literacy and education in the Viluppuram district. The district is ranked as the third lowest in terms of literacy in the state. The literacy rate in the district is only 72.08 per cent, while the state average is 80.33 per cent. As the district is the second lowest in terms of Human Development Index, the socio-economic factors assume importance in relation to literacy and educational attainments. The study was conducted in two blocks- one most backward (Kalrayan Hills) and another relatively less backward (Koliyanur) in terms of socio-economic conditions. To begin with, block level analysis of secondary data on socio economic backwardness was undertaken making use of a number of development indicators. Then field surveys with group interviews and household surveys were conducted in a select set of villages from the two blocks identified as the most backward and less backward. These exercises were carried out to develop an understanding of the influence of various socio-economic factors such as caste, income, land holding, asset-ownership, indebtedness and poverty level on literacy and education at the local level. Various issues pertinent to the relationship between backwardness and education are also highlighted by a review of existing studies. Based on these exercises, the summary of findings and recommendations for interventions are given below. Even though the district is ranked as the most backward in terms of literacy, there are wide variations among the blocks, with some blocks being educationally more backward than others. With literacy rates between 77 per cent and 88 per cent, Viluppuram, Chinna Salem, Marakkanam and Kandamangalam are the top four blocks among the 22 blocks in the district. The bottom four blocks are Risihivandyam, Thirunallur, Ullundurpettai and Thyagathurgam. The literacy rate of these blocks range from 63 to 68 per cent. Rishivanthiyam, Kallakurichi, Ulundurpettai and Thirukoilur 6 have been identified as the most backward in primary and upper primary education. These backward blocks require assistance to make progress in literacy levels and education. The dropout rate for the district as a whole is one per cent. The state has a lower dropout rate of 0.95 per cent. In the case of Thirukoilur and Viluppuram blocks, the dropout rates are higher than the district average. While the dropout rate is relatively less among the SC students, it is the highest among the ST students. In gender terms, the dropout rate is higher among girls than boys across all communities. Dropout rate is also higher among girls than boys at primary as well as upper primary levels. The field survey indicates that socio-economic variables like caste, income, housing condition, household assets value and poverty level of households (BPL/APL) have significant relationship with literacy and the educational attainment of households. Most of the household members cited lack of interest as the reason for quitting school. However child labour due to the poverty of the households, is noted as an important factor for students dropping out particularly in the tribal villages. For instance, children from Kalarayan hills were employed in cotton farms in Salem and Dharmapuri districts.