New Delhi: On Thursday i.e. on March 31, 2011, census has issued the provisional data of the 2011, which confirms that the India’s effective literacy rate increased by 9.2 percent and has reached to total of 74.04 percent.
Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner C. Chandramauli said that the effective literacy rate in the 2001 census was 64.83, which is currently increased to 74.04 percent. While surveying, it was clear that the literacy rate improved more among girls as in comparison of males. The effective literacy rate for males rose from 75.26 to 82.14 percent as making rise of 6.9 percent and for girls it is increased by 11.8 percent as it goes from 53.67 to 65.46 percent.
As per provisional totals of the latest census, literates represent 74 percent of total population are of aged seven and above. Moreover, Chandramauli has said that it was admirable to note that out of total literate no. of 217, 700, 941, females are 110, 069.001 and males are 107,631,940. He also said that a significant milestone reached in 2011 census was the decline of illiterates by 31, 196, 847.
The targets set by Planning Commission to be achieved 2011-12 for Ten states and union territories, including Kerala, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Tripura, Goa, Daman and Diu, Puducherry, Chandigarh, National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, have reached the target of more than 85 percent.
The gap between male & female literacy rate as recorded in 2001 census was 21.59 percent, which was reduced to 16.68 percentage points in 2011. The Planning Commission has decided the target of reducing the gap till 10 percentage points by 2011-12. Besides, as per census 2011 report, Kerala have the highest literacy rate at 93.91 percent followed by Lakshadweep at 92.28 percent. Bihar was still at the bottom of the ladder with literacy rate of 63.82 followed by Arunachal Pradesh at 66.95.
