Literacy in India

Literacy in India grew very slowly until independence in 1947. An acceleration in the rate of literacy growth occurred in the 1991–2001 period.

Success of Kerala in health and education - Why?

LAGGING Old people not becoming Literate - no mass movement

Urban-Rural Disparity

Men-Women Disparity

Literacy is NOT enough : Vocational, Apprenticement, High Tech needed

One of the main factors contributing to this relatively low literacy rate is usefulness of education

The average pupil teacher ratio for all India is 42:1, implying a teacher shortage.[23] Such inadequacies resulted in a non-standardized school system where literacy rates may differ.[22] Furthermore, the expenditure allocated to education was never above 4.3% of the GDP from 1951 to 2002 despite the target of 6% by the Kothari Commission.[24] This further complicates the literacy problem in India.

Education is not of real use for majority, Mass dropouts at Grade 3, 5, 7

Poor Schools Quality, Absenteeism

Another factor is the availability of even basic quality schools in vicinity in rural areas. There is a shortage of classrooms to accommodate all the students in 2006–2007.

In 600,000 villages and multiplying urban slum habitats, 'free and compulsory education' is the basic literacy instruction dispensed by barely qualified 'para teachers'.

Schools Don't Inspire - Bad hygiene, No Water, No Lunch for Poor, Bad Sanitation

In addition, there is no proper sanitation in most schools.

The study of 188 government-run primary schools in central and northern India revealed that 59% of the schools had no drinking water facility and 89% no toilets. In 600,000 villages and multiplying urban slum habitats, 'free and compulsory education' is the basic literacy instruction dispensed by barely qualified 'para teachers'.

Lessons from Other Countries

• Youth literacy rate is for 15-24 years - as youth goes more to schools

• SRC Literacy in India - Wikipedia