Literacy Rate

5.1 Definition and National Data

Literacy (Census definition): A person aged 7 years and above who can both read and write with understanding in any language.

National Literacy Rate (Census 2011): 74.04%

• Male literacy: 82.14%
• Female literacy: 65.46%
• Gender gap: 16.68 percentage points
• Improved significantly from 64.84% (2001); 52.21% (1991)

Historical trend:

Census Year	Literacy Rate	Male	Female
1951	18.33%	27.16%	8.86%
1971	34.45%	45.96%	21.97%
1991	52.21%	64.13%	39.29%
2001	64.84%	75.26%	53.67%
2011	74.04%	82.14%	65.46%

5.2 State-wise Literacy (2011)

State	Literacy Rate	Rank
Kerala	94.0%	1st (highest)
Lakshadweep (UT)	92.28%	2nd
Mizoram	91.58%	3rd
Bihar	63.82%	Last (lowest among major states)
Arunachal Pradesh	66.95%	2nd lowest
Rajasthan	66.11%	3rd lowest

Female literacy — best and worst:

• Best: Kerala (92.07%), Mizoram (89.27%), Goa (81.84%)
• Worst: Rajasthan (52.66%), UP (59.26%), Bihar (53.33%)

5.3 Determinants of Literacy

Factors Boosting Literacy

• Government investments in primary education (SSA — Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan/PM-POSHAN)
• Urbanisation (urban literacy always higher than rural)
• Women's empowerment and delayed marriage
• Higher incomes → more education investment

Factors Constraining Literacy

• Rural-urban divide (rural literacy 2011: 68.91% vs urban 84.98%)
• Gender gap (male 82.14% vs female 65.46%)
• Poverty → child labour instead of school
• Weak school infrastructure in tribal/remote areas
• Dropout rates (especially girls after class 5–6)

Government Schemes

• Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA): Universalising elementary education (6–14 years); RTE Act 2009
• NIPUN Bharat (2021): Foundation Literacy and Numeracy for class 1–3 by 2026–27
• National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020): Comprehensive overhaul; multilingual education, 5+3+3+4 structure, vocational from class 6

---