GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Department Of: School Education and Literacy

RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 696
TO BE ANSWERED ON 27.07.2015

Level of literacy in rural areas

696. SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR 

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the Ministry has taken note of the findings of the latest socio economic and caste census which states that out of 35.73 per cent adult literates in rural India, 13.9 per cent have recorded below primary level of literacy; 
(b) the details of total expenditure of the Ministry on literacy initiatives during the last three decades; 
(c) whether the Ministry recognizes that despite 68 years since Independence and crores of rupees being spent, literacy level have remained extremely low; and 
(d) the steps being taken by the Ministry to raise literacy level?

Answer
MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a) Socio Economic Caste Census, 2011, reported 35.73 per cent illiterates and 13.9 per cent literates below primary levels in rural areas of the country. However, census 2011 reported 32.23 percent illiterates in rural area. As per Census, a person aged 7 and above who can both read and write with understanding in any language is considered as literate.
(b) & (c) A statement indicating plan-wise details of expenditure on elementary education and adult education from VIth Five Year Plan (1980-85) to XIth Five Year Plan (2007-12) is annexed. As per Census reports, there has been steady improvement in literacy rates since independent as the literacy rate has increased from 18.33 per cent in 1951 to 72.98 per cent in 2011.
(d) Two major interventions of Government of India, namely SarvaShikshaAbhiyan, for universalisation of elementary education and Saakshar Bharat, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the Adult population help to bring effective improvement in literacy. The SarvaShikshaAbhiyan (SSA) is being implemented for universalisation of elementary education for all children in the 6-14 age group. Saakshar Bharat is being implemented in rural areas of 410 districts in 26 States and one Union Territory (UT) that had adult female literacy rate of 50 per cent or below as per Census 2001, and left wing extremism affected districts, irrespective of their literacy rates. The scheme has a target of making 70 million adult non-literates, including 60 million women as literates, with special thrust on disadvantaged groups. 
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ANNEXURE

STATEMENT REFERED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b) & (c) OF THE RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 696 FOR 27.07.2015 ASKED BY SHRI RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR REGARDING “LEVEL OF LITERACY IN RURAL AREAS”

Plan-wise details of expenditure (Centre & State) on elementary education and adult education from VIthFive Year Plan (1980-85) to XIth Five Year Plan (2007 – 12)

                                                                                                                                                                                    (Rs. In Crore)