KOCHI, JAN 15: The country is all set to usher in the next millennium with the `light of letters' that would kindle the lives of its illiterate masses.According to the National Literacy Mission, the country will cross the `threshold sustainable level' of 75 per cent literacy between 2004 and 2005, nearly seven years ahead of schedule. The earlier estimate was that the country would cross the mark only by 2011."Concerted efforts made by the departments concerned resulting in a faster growth rate of literacy helped us to move ahead of schedule," National Literacy Mission director-general Bhaskar Chatterjee told The Indian Express."In 1951, our literacy rate was a meager 18.2 per cent. But this was around 52.2 during 1991 with an annual growth rate of 8 per cent. By earlier calculations, we were to achieve a literacy rate between 66 and 68 per cent literacy by the time of the decennial census of 2001. But we have already crossed 62 per cent by 1997 itself," Chatterjee said.The brighter side ofthis success story is the higher literacy growth rate visible in rural India. They fared much better than their urban counterparts by 2 per cent. The fairer sex also outperformed the males by recording an 11 per cent raise in the literacy index. With this, the gender imbalance in the literacy rates was also corrected to some extent.Among the states, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh are well ahead of others by achieving a growth rate of 79 and 77 per cent respectively - much higher than the national average of 62 per cent, according to the literacy rate data provided by the National Sample Survey Organisation.Arunachal Pradesh made a comparatively giant leap by making its 60 per cent of its population literate. West Bengal (72 per cent) and Rajastan (55 per cent) are the other two states which have put up a commendable show over these years.In spite of insurgency and other terrorists activities in the valleys of Assam, the State registered a 75 per cent literacy rate with a growth rate of 20 per cent.Among the smaller units, Andaman Nicobar (97 per cent), Lakshwadeep (96 per cent) and Mizoram (95 per cent) also fared well.On the flip side, Orissa, the parent cadre of Chatterjee, could only manage a growth rate of 1.9 per cent with a literacy rate of 51 per cent. The lack of governmental attention in imparting primary education and carrying out other literacy activities have reflected on the progress card of the State, NLM sources said. The studies have also identified Rajastan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Maharashtra as the States which houses the most number of illiterates in the country.The only State which witnessed a fall in the literacy rate was the snowy terrains of Jammu and Kashmir. The `paradise on earth' where the ravages of terrorism, migration and other internal disturbances have taken their toll, has forced the educated class, especially the Kashmiri Pandits to flee the Valley. Regular teaching in various educational institutions was also badlyinterrupted leading to the drop in the literacy rate to 59 per cent, the study said.Though, Kerala and the much lauded Ernakulam Model of Total Literacy Campaign showed the way for the rest of the country, the post-literacy scene was not encouraging, Chatterjee said. The complacency that has crept in has caused the damage. But the situation has improved with the activities of the State Literacy Mission. The latest figures put the literacy rate of the State around 93 per cent, which is still the highest in the country.Even as the annual spending on an individual in the total literacy programme was estimated as Rs 75, Rs 948 was spent for the primary education of a child. During the 8th Five Year Plan, Rs 614 crore was shelled out for the literacy programmes. This would be raised to Rs 630 crore during the current Five Year Plan.
