The 15th official census in India was calculated in the year 2011. In a country like India, literacy is the main foundation for social and economic growth. When the British rule ended in India in the year 1947 the literacy rate was just 12%. Over the years, India has changed socially, economically, and globally. After the 2011 census, literacy rate India 2011 was found to be 74.04%. Compared to the adult literacy rate here the youth literacy rate is about 9% higher. Though this seems like a very great accomplishment, it is still a matter of concern that still so many people in India cannot even read and write. The numbers of children who do not get education especially in the rural areas are still high. Though the government has made a law that every child under the age of 14 should get free education, the problem of illiteracy is still at large.
Now, if we consider female literacy rate in India, then it is lower than the male literacy rate as many parents do not allow their female children to go to schools. They get married off at a young age instead. Though child marriage has been lowered to very low levels, it still happens. Many families, especially in rural areas believe that having a male child is better than having a baby girl. So the male child gets all the benefits. Today, the female literacy levels according to the Literacy Rate 2011 census are 65.46% where the male literacy rate is over 80%. The literacy rate in India has always been a matter of concern but many NGO initiatives and government ads, campaigns and programs are being held to spread awareness amongst people about the importance of literacy. Also the government has made strict rules for female equality rights. India literacy rate has shown significant rise in the past 10 years.
| # | State/Union Territory | Population | Literacy Rate(%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kerala | 33,406,061 | 94.00% |
| 2 | Lakshadweep | 64,473 | 91.85% |
| 3 | Mizoram | 1,097,206 | 91.33% |
| 4 | Goa | 1,458,545 | 88.70% |
| 5 | Tripura | 3,673,917 | 87.22% |
| 6 | Daman and Diu | 243,247 | 87.10% |
| 7 | Andaman and Nicobar Islands | 380,581 | 86.63% |
| 8 | Delhi | 16,787,941 | 86.21% |
| 9 | Chandigarh | 1,055,450 | 86.05% |
| 10 | Puducherry | 1,247,953 | 85.85% |
| 11 | Himachal Pradesh | 6,864,602 | 82.80% |
| 12 | Maharashtra | 112,374,333 | 82.34% |
| 13 | Sikkim | 610,577 | 81.42% |
| 14 | Tamil Nadu | 72,147,030 | 80.09% |
| 15 | Uttarakhand | 10,086,292 | 79.63% |
| 16 | Nagaland | 1,978,502 | 79.55% |
| 17 | Manipur | 2,721,756 | 79.21% |
| 18 | Gujarat | 60,439,692 | 78.03% |
| 19 | West Bengal | 91,276,115 | 76.26% |
| 20 | Dadra and Nagar Haveli | 343,709 | 76.24% |
| 21 | Punjab | 27,743,338 | 75.84% |
| 22 | Haryana | 25,351,462 | 75.55% |
| 23 | Karnataka | 61,095,297 | 75.36% |
| 24 | Meghalaya | 2,966,889 | 74.43% |
| 25 | Odisha | 41,974,218 | 72.87% |
| 26 | Assam | 31,205,576 | 72.19% |
| 27 | Chhattisgarh | 25,545,198 | 70.28% |
| 28 | Madhya Pradesh | 72,626,809 | 69.32% |
| 29 | Uttar Pradesh | 199,812,341 | 67.68% |
| 30 | Jammu and Kashmir | 12,541,302 | 67.16% |
| 31 | Andhra Pradesh | 84,580,777 | 67.02% |
| 32 | Jharkhand | 32,988,134 | 66.41% |
| 33 | Rajasthan | 68,548,437 | 66.11% |
| 34 | Arunachal Pradesh | 1,383,727 | 65.38% |
| 35 | Bihar | 104,099,452 | 61.80% |
Here are some facts about different states literacy rate, Kerala is the only state in India to have 100% literacy rate. It is followed by Goa, Tripura, Mizoram, Himachal Pradesh, and Maharashtra, Sikkim. The lowest literacy rate in India is seen in the state of Bihar. We also need to think why is the literacy rate is low here in India compared to other developed countries. Basically the population in India is very high. Being the 7th largest country its population stands 2nd in the world after China. There are over 1 billion people in India. The number of schools and educational centers especially in rural areas is less. Even today many people are below the poverty line. Also people aren't aware that children should get free education according to the law.