Rural literacy rate up over 10% points in past decade: Govt tells Lok Sabha

Rural literacy rate up over 10% points in past decade: Govt tells Lok Sabha

The literacy rate in rural India recorded a jump of more than 10 percentage points in the past decade, the Lok Sabha was informed on Monday.

It was also told that the literacy rate among women rose 14.50 percentage points during this period.

The information was shared by Union Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary in response to a written question about government efforts, challenges and strategies in achieving 100 per cent rural literacy.

According to the statistics shared by Chaudhary, rural India's literacy rate rose from 67.77 per cent in 2011 to 77.50 per cent in 2023-24 among individuals aged seven and above.

Female literacy rose from 57.93 per cent to 70.40 per cent during this period. Male literacy improved from 77.15 per cent to 84.7 per cent.

"In order to improve the literacy rate, including rural literacy among adults, the government of India has launched several centrally-sponsored schemes and programmes, such as the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Saakshar Bharat Mission, Padhna Likhna Abhiyan, and the ongoing ULLAS-Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram," the minister said.

"These initiatives have delivered positive outcomes, particularly in rural and educationally backward areas," Chaudhary added.

He emphasised the role of the Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram, popularly called ULLAS, in boosting adult literacy.

Launched in April 2022 and aligned with the National Education Policy – 2020, the programme targets individuals aged 15 and above, focusing on foundational literacy, numeracy and vocational skills.

"A large population with diverse languages, cultural contexts, and unstructured learning arrangements pose significant challenges. To address these, teaching and learning processes under ULLAS are volunteer-driven and adaptable to local needs," he said.