Himachal Pradesh: Literacy Rate as Per Census 2011

In the western Himalayas’ lap lies the state of snowy peaks, known as Himachal Pradesh. It is one of the thirteen major mountainous states of India. Before the independence of India, Himachal was a part of the Punjab Province. After India’s independence in 1947, it was named a Union Territory and granted the status of a state in the year 1971. According to a report, Himachal Pradesh is considered the least corrupt state in India. The growth of the literacy rate from 8% ( at the time of independence ) to 82.8% ( in 2011) of the state is applauded.  

Himachal Pradesh 

Himachal Pradesh is one of India’s thirteen major mountainous states. It shares its borders with J&K, Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh. Internationally, it shares its boundary with the autonomous region of Tibet. The capital of Himachal Pradesh is Shimla, which is a popular holiday destination. The highest mountain peak of Himachal Pradesh is Shilla. The Government of Himachal Pradesh has made huge advancements to increase the state’s literacy rate.

Consequently, the literacy rate has seen a remarkable rise in recent years. It has numerous colleges and educational institutes and a few research centres. 

Population 

A census held in 2011 recorded a population of 68.65 lakhs in Himachal Pradesh. It was 60.78 lakh in the year 2001. Men outnumbered the population of women in both these censuses. There were 3,481,873 males as compared to  3,382,729 females in the year 2011. There has been an increase in population and female to male ratio since 2001. In 2001, the total population was 6,077,900, out of which males were 3,087,940 and females were 2,989,960. 

The sex ratio was recorded at 972. It means that there are 972 females per 1000 males. This figure is below the national average. In 2001, this ratio was recorded at 968. Therefore we can see that there has been an increase, though not very significant. 

The total growth of the population was 12.94% in the last ten years, wherein in the previous decade, it was 17.53%. According to the Census of 2011, Himachal Pradesh contributes 0.57 % to the population of India. 

Since the late twentieth century, Himachal Pradesh has made significant plans to boost education. As a result, the percentage of primary, secondary, and post-graduate institutions has increased dramatically, as has enrollment.

According to the 2011 literacy census, Himachal Pradesh’s literacy rate is 82.80 percent. Male literacy rates are 89.53 percent, while female literacy rates are 75.93 percent. In 2001, the literacy rate in Himachal Pradesh was 76.48 %, with male and female literacy rates of 85.35% and 67.42%, respectively.

The literacy rate of Himachal Pradesh district-wise can be arranged as follows: 

• Hamirpur 
• Una
• Kangra 
• Bilaspur 
• Solan 

Chamba is the district with the least recorded literacy rate in Himachal Pradesh. 

Literacy rate of Himachal Pradesh District Wise 

According to the 2011 census in India, the literacy rate of Himachal Pradesh is summarised in the below table.  

Rural-Urban Division 

In Himachal Pradesh, urban areas account for 10.03 percent of the population. The urban population has increased by 10.03 percent in the last ten years. In Himachal Pradesh’s urban areas, the sex ratio was 853 females for every 1000 males. The urban region’s child(0-6) sex ratio was 881 girls for every 1000 boys. Sixty-five thousand seventy-six children (0-6 years old) lived in Himachal Pradesh’s urban areas. 9.45 percent of the total population in the urban region were children (0-6).

In Himachal Pradesh, the average literacy rate for urban areas was 91.10 percent, with males literate at 93.42 percent and female literacy at 74.25 percent.

Around 89.97 percent of Himachal Pradesh’s total population lives in villages and rural areas. In Himachal Pradesh’s rural areas, the female sex ratio per 1000 males was986, while the same for children (0-6 years old) was 912 girls per 1000 boys.

Religious Interpretation 

Hinduism is the most followed religion in Himachal Pradesh, accounting for 95.17 percent of the population. Islam is just after Hinduism in Himachal Pradesh, with approximately 2.18 percent of the population practicing it. Christianity is followed by 0.18 percent in Himachal Pradesh, 0.03 percent in Jainism, 1.16 percent in Sikhism, and 1.16 percent in Buddhism. Around 0.01 percent said ‘Other Religion,’ while 0.12 percent said they are not inclined towards any religion. 

Conclusion 

In this article, we saw the literacy rate of Himachal Pradesh and the literacy rate in India in the 2011 census. The district-wise literacy rate of Himachal Pradesh has shown some significant increase according to the 2011 census. Hamirpur has the highest recorded literacy rate, while Chamba has the least. To increase educational opportunities in the state, Himachal Pradesh University was established in 1970. It is loathed in Shimla. It was the first university for higher studies in the initial days, and today, it has numerous colleges affiliated with it in the state.