Rural India's Literacy Surge: A Decade of Progress

Rural India has seen a significant improvement in literacy rates over the past decade, as reported to the Lok Sabha. Female literacy witnessed a notable rise. Various government initiatives have significantly contributed to these gains. The challenges remain due to diverse languages and cultural contexts.

Rural India has experienced a notable advancement in literacy, witnessing a jump of over 10 percentage points in the past decade, according to information presented to the Lok Sabha on Monday. A remarkable increase of 14.50 percentage points was observed among women during this timeframe.

Union Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary shared these insights while responding to a written inquiry about the government's efforts and strategies to achieve full rural literacy. Data reveals that the literacy rate in rural India rose from 67.77% in 2011 to 77.50% in 2023-24 among individuals aged seven and above. Female literacy surged from 57.93% to 70.40%, while male literacy improved from 77.15% to 84.7%.

Numerous centrally-sponsored schemes, such as Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan and the ongoing ULLAS-Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram, have successfully contributed to this progress, particularly in rural areas. Despite the achievements, the large, diverse population with various languages and cultural contexts presents ongoing challenges. The ULLAS program, launched in April 2022, aims to tackle these issues with volunteer-driven, adaptable learning approaches.

(With inputs from agencies.)