New Delhi: International Literacy Day is celebrated on September 8 every year to raise awareness of the importance of literacy for individuals and societies. This year, the theme for International Literacy Day is “Promoting literacy for a world in transition: Building the foundation for sustainable and peaceful societies.”
“To make healthy choices about our nutrition and health, we need literacy! Let’s embrace the power of literacy for our well-being!”, tweeted UNESCO.
India is one of the countries with the highest illiteracy rates in the world. According to the National Literacy Mission Authority, the adult literacy rate in India is 77.7%. This means that about 22.3% of adults in India are illiterate.
The illiteracy rate is higher in rural areas than in urban areas. In rural areas, the adult literacy rate is 72.8%, while in urban areas it is 87.5%. The illiteracy rate is also higher among women than men. In India, the female literacy rate is 65.4%, while the male literacy rate is 82.1%.
There are many factors that contribute to illiteracy in India. These include poverty, lack of access to education, and social and cultural barriers.
International Literacy Day is an important opportunity to raise awareness of the issue of illiteracy in India and to take steps to address it. There are many things that can be done to promote literacy in India, such as: expanding access to education, especially for girls and women, reducing poverty and providing economic opportunities, breaking down social and cultural barriers to education, and using technology to deliver literacy programs.
By taking these steps, India can make progress towards achieving universal literacy and building a more sustainable and peaceful society. Here are some other interesting things to know about literacy in India:
- The state with the highest adult literacy rate is Kerala (94.0%), and the state with the lowest adult literacy rate is Bihar (63.8%).
- The literacy rate among the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes is lower than the national average.
- The government of India has launched several programs to promote literacy, such as the National Literacy Mission and the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.