Rural India records 10% rise in literacy rate in past decade

Over the past decade, rural India has seen a 10 percent jump in literacy, with women leading the charge, according to the latest government data.

In Short

• Rural literacy rose from 67.77% in 2011 to 77.5% in 2023-24
• Female literacy improved from 57.93% to 70.4% in rural areas
• Programmes like ULLAS boosted rural and adult literacy rates

Education has been a cornerstone of India’s development since independence, with successive governments striving to improve literacy rates across the nation. Despite progress, challenges persist, and the path to universal literacy remains long. Notably, rural literacy has shown remarkable growth, with a 10 percentage point rise in the past decade, as highlighted by Union Minister of State for Education, Jayant Chaudhary, during the ongoing Lok Sabha winter session.

This achievement underscores the impact of targeted education programmes and policies, even as efforts continue to bridge gaps and ensure equitable access to quality education.

According to 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 improved from 57.93 per cent to 70.4 per cent, while male literacy increased 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/Programmes over time, such as the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (2018-19 to 2025-26), Saakshar Bharat (2009-10 to 2017-18), Padhna Likhna Abhiyan (2020-21 to 2021-22), and ULLAS-Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram/NILP (2022-23 to 2026-27), which have resulted in positive outcomes,” he stated.

WHAT ARE GOVERNMENT PROGRAMMES RUNNING TO IMPROVE RURAL EDUCATION?

Union Minister of State for Education, Jayant Chaudhary, highlighted the implementation of the Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram (NILP), also known as ULLAS: Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society.

The scheme, part of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, focusses on adults aged 15 years and above who missed formal schooling, with an emphasis on rural and educationally backward areas and women.

The programme allows flexibility in its delivery through offline, online, or hybrid modes. A dedicated ULLAS mobile app supports the registration of learners and volunteer teachers while providing access to learning materials in 26 languages.

Chaudhary stated that over two crore learners have appeared for the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT).

Maharashtra has implemented the scheme, registering over 10.87 lakh learners, with more than four lakh appearing for the FLNAT. However, the minister noted that Bihar has not yet adopted the programme.