NEW DELHI: Rural India’s literacy rate has witnessed a significant jump over the past decade, increasing from 67.77% in 2011 to 77.5% in 2023-24 among individuals aged seven years and above. This impressive rise has been fueled primarily by a 14.5 percentage point surge in female literacy, which rose from 57.93% to 70.4% during the period. Male literacy also improved, climbing from 77.15% to 84.7%.
Union minister of state for education Jayant Chaudhary shared these figures in the Lok Sabha on Monday while addressing questions about government efforts, challenges, and strategies in achieving 100% rural literacy.
“In order to improve the literacy rate, including rural literacy among adults, the Government of India has launched several Centrally Sponsored Schemes and Programmes, such as Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Saakshar Bharat, Padhna Likhna Abhiyan, and the ongoing ULLAS-Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram,” said Chaudhary. “These initiatives have delivered positive outcomes, particularly in rural and educationally backward areas.”
The minister emphasised the role of the Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram (NILP), popularly known as ULLAS, in boosting adult literacy. Launched in April 2022 and aligned with the National Education Policy 2020, the program targets adults aged 15 and above, focusing on foundational literacy, numeracy, and vocational skills.
“Under ULLAS, we have successfully registered over 2 crore learners, and more than 1 crore individuals have already appeared for the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT),” Chaudhary informed the House. “The scheme is implemented in a hybrid mode, leveraging both offline and online tools, with a dedicated mobile app facilitating access to primers in 26 languages.”
Maharashtra has made notable progress under the scheme, with over 10.87 lakh learners registered and 4 lakh learners appearing for the FLNAT. However, Chaudhary revealed that Bihar has yet to implement the ULLAS initiative.
Despite the gains, achieving 100% literacy in rural areas remains an uphill battle. “A large population with diverse languages, cultural contexts, and unstructured learning arrangements pose significant challenges,” Chaudhary stated. “To address these, the teaching and learning processes under ULLAS are volunteer-driven and adaptable to local needs.”
Chaudhary reiterated the government’s commitment to expanding educational outreach and addressing the unique challenges in states like Maharashtra and Bihar. While there is a long way to go, initiatives like ULLAS signal a robust framework for bridging the literacy gap and empowering rural communities, especially women.
