LITERACY in 2001

LITERACY The significant facts emerging from a study of the 2001 census data are as follows.

. For the first time since independence, there is a decline in the absolute number of illiterates during a decad~ (1991-2001). This is a major shift in improving the status of literacy in the country.
. The major contribution to the decrease in the number of illiterates came from Andhra Pradesh, followed by Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. These six states together account for three­fourths of the percentage decrease in the total number of illiterates in the country while they share half the cow1try's. population.
. In eight States and Union Territories, the number of illiterates grew in the decade.
. In case of male illiterates, there was a decline in the absolute numbers from 1991 to 2001. Kerala, which ranks first in male literacy, has also added to the number of male illiterates.
. In case of female illiterates too there was a decline
in absolute numbers.
. The crude literacy rates starting from 1901 show a
consistent increase for both males and females.
. The increase in literacy rates observed during 1991­2001 in respect of all persons, males and females, has been the highest recorded in comparison to earlier decades since 1951, except in case of males during 1951-1961.
. The gap in male-female literacy rates was reduced in 1991, and was furilier reduced in 2001. (These declines are bound to be slow initially due to the large legacy in the numbers of adult illiterate women.)
. Among States and Union Territories, Kerala, with a literacy rate of 90.92 per cent holds first rank in the country. Following closely are Mizoram and Lakshadweep. Bihar with a literacy rate of 47.0 ranks last in the country.
. Kerala occupies the top position in both male and female literacy rates. Bihar has recorded the lowest literacy rates for both males and females.

Religion-wise as compared to the literacy rate for India of 64 per cent, the literacy rate among the Jains is the highest at 94.1 per cent followed by Christians 80.3 per cent and Buddhists 72.7 per cent. Hindus and Sikhs have returned a marginally higher literacy rate than the national average. The lowest literacy has been recorded for 'Other Religions and Persuasions' at 47.0 per cent. Muslims are the other religious community returning lower than the national average literacy rate at 59.1 per cent.

The Hindus have returned an average national literacy rate of 65.1 per cent. There are seven states/union terri­tories, which have returned a literacy rate of over 80 per cent among the Hindus. Lakshadweep stands out with the highest Hindu literacy at 96.4 per cent.

Both males and females among the Jain population have very high literacy rate of 97.4 per cent and 90.1 per cent respectively at the national level followed by Chris­tians at 84.4 per cent for males and 76.2 per cent for females. Thus ilie gender gap in male female literacy for these two religions is less than ten percentage points. Female literacy rates among those recorded as 'Other Religion and Persuasion' are very low at 33 per cent. Incidentally, the gap between the male and female literacy at the- national level is also maximum in this religious community. It may be seen that among the six major religions at the nation~l level the maximum gap between the male and female literacy is in Hindus 23 percentage points followed by uddhists 21.4 percentage points and Muslims 17.5 percentage points. It is interesting to note here that Muslims have the lowest level of overall literacy rate while both Hindus and Buddhists have much higher overall literacy rate.