Literacy is one of the most important markers of a country’s human capital quality. According to recent data, India’s adult literacy rate[a] is 73.2 percent. While the country has made tremendous progress in boosting literacy over the years, it still has 313 million illiterates, with women accounting for 59 percent of the total. 

Literacy in India 

The United Nations Population Commission considers the capacity to read and write a short message in any language with comprehension to be a sufficient basis for categorising a person as literate. “The term “literate” is reserved for those aged seven and older who are capable of both reading and writing clearly in any language,” according to the Indian Census. At the 1991 Census, it was agreed that all children aged 0 to 6 would be considered illiterate by definition, and only those aged 7 and up would be classed as literate or illiterate. It is important to highlight that a person does not have to have had any formal education or meet any minimal educational standard to be considered literate. 

History of Education in India 

In ancient India, the gurukul was a form of the education system in which shishya (students) lived in the same house as the guru. Nalanda was one of the world’s oldest university systems of instruction. Indian knowledge systems drew students from all around the world. 

India gave birth to many branches of the knowledge system. In ancient India, education was seen as a superior virtue. 

However, the renaissance and scientific thinking that occurred in Europe during the medieval period did not occur in India. 

By that time, the British had taken control of Indian affairs and had distinct priorities. British India has a long way to go in terms of education. The British, on the other hand, later built the modern education system that is still in use in India. They took the place of age-old educational systems in the United States. 

Statistics 

  • According to the 2011 Population Census of India, India’s literacy rate has improved by around 9.2 percent. It has risen from 65.38 percent in 2001 to 74.04 percent in 2011, representing a 9 percent gain in the last ten years. 
  • The country also has a large gender gap in literacy, with men having an 82.14 percent literacy rate and women having a 65.46 percent reading rate.
  • Male literacy rates (84.7%) are greater than female literacy rates (70.3%) in India, according to research done by the National Statistical Office between July 2017 and June 2018. 
  • After Kerala, Delhi has the highest literacy rate at 96%, followed by Uttarkhand at 87.6%, Himachal Pradesh at 86.6 percent, and Assam at 85.9%, according to the research. 
  • In all states, the male literacy rate is higher than the female literacy rate, according to the poll. The male literacy rate in Kerala is 96 percent, while the female literacy rate is 92 percent. 

Reasons for Illiteracy in India 

  1. India’s illiteracy is a result of the country’s complicated network of social and economic divides. 
  2. In India, illiteracy is caused by economic inequities, gender discrimination, caste prejudice, and technological hurdles. 
  3. Population density is high. 
  4. ‘Extreme’ poor people can’t afford basic necessities, let alone schooling. 5. Child labour is a serious issue. 
  5. Primary schools are ineffective at enrolling and retaining students. 
  6. There is a lack of political will to address the literacy problem. 

Steps Taken by Government 

The value of education for everybody is recognised in India’s Constitution. As a result, it establishes a number of provisions to ensure the proper and effective application of educational rights in the country, including the following: 

  • Minority Education: Article 30 of the Indian Constitution grants all minorities the right to create and operate their own educational institutions. 
  • Free and compulsory education: The Indian Constitution (Article 41, 45, and 46 of the Directive Principles of State Policy) mandates that all people get free and compulsory education. 
  • Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan) is a national (SSA) 
  • The initiative, which began in 2001, intends to make education universal and to improve its quality through a time-bound implementation approach and context-specific planning. ● Midday Meal Program- This programme began in 1995 with the goal of providing mid-day meals to students in primary school. The main goal of this programme was to reduce children’s hunger in the classroom and to increase school attendance and enrollment. 
  • In 2009, the Right to Education (RTE) Act was passed, making education a basic right for all children aged 6 to 14. 
  • The National Education Policy 2020 aspires to reach a literacy rate of 100 percent among kids and adults.

Conclusion 

Literacy refers to a person’s capacity to read, write, and comprehend information in order to successfully communicate. Education and skill development play a significant role in the greater domain of human capital. The Right to Education Act is a cornerstone of Indian education. Nonetheless, it is the different education policies that have been planned out since Independence that have led to India’s educational system’s historical progression. In India, there are numerous government projects aimed at each level of the educational system. These days, the Higher Education System is getting a lot of attention.