ILLITERACY

Meaning of illiteracy in India

Illiteracy is paradoxical to literacy, although it may appear to be a fact that more than half of the population in India are not able to read or write. Throughout vast areas, men and women are mostly unable to read the instructions they may receive or sign their name to an agreement. Today, it is not difficult to see what disastrous results may ensue from this situation. It may be said that it is the moral duty of those who have enjoyed the benefits of education to see that those benefits are further extended to people who have had no formal education at all. It has become the most serious problem in our country and it has prevented from the cultural growth of a people and social development. Without development, development can neither be broad-based nor sustained.

When the first census was conducted in the year 1951, that is, after independence, only 18% of the people were found to be literate and this figure increased to 74% in 2011. In the time of 60 years [from 1951 to 2011], the percentage of male literacy has increased from 27 to 82.14, while the percentage in the case of females has increased from 8.86 to 65.46. In 1951, only one woman out of 10 was literate, but in 2011, 2/3 of the total number of women in India were found to be literate. This increase in literacy is a really substantial one, though not revolutionary.


Source: A Policy Review of Public Libraries in India [1] - Scientific Figure on ResearchGate. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Literacy-rates-of-India-1951-2011_fig1_324273917

Some of the States and Union Territories like Mizoram, Tripura, Goa, Kerala, Puducherry, Chandigarh, Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu, the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, in the last one decade, have done extremely well for themselves by attaining a literacy rate of almost 85%.

Here the question arises can illiteracy be removed? If so, it has to be taken concerted efforts by private organizations and the states. For example, within a decade, the Russians got rid of ignorance as colossal as ours; now, the Chinese have also achieved it. They took a total war against illiteracy for which the services of all educated men and women were conscripted. If we take a pledge like Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai, “One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world,” illiteracy can be removed.

Illiteracy can also mean ignorance or the lack of knowledge in a specific subject. For example, a person may have gone to school but does not know how to operate a computer. Such an individual has no computer literacy and is known as computer illiterate. Nearly every job advertised requires one to have computer literacy due to the digitization of most processes at the workplace.

The first meeting of the World Congress of Education Ministers took place in Tehran, organized by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to discuss the problems of illiteracy at the international level on September 8, 1965. Since then, this historic date has been observed as International Literacy Day. Subsequently, the first international literacy day was celebrated on September 8, 1966. Therefore, this day is celebrated each and every year.

If we ask who is literate? Then, we can put it as a person who can read and write. If so, who is illiterate? It can mean that a person cannot read and write at all. If so, how can we define illiterate?

Definition of Illiteracy in India

  1. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defines functional illiteracy as “measured by assessing reading, writing and mathematical skills in the various domains of social life which influence individual identity and insertion into society. From this perspective, literacy involves not only reading and writing but also the acquisition of the skills necessary for effective and productive performance within society”.

  2. Illiteracy means that an individual may have basic reading, writing and numerical skills but cannot apply them to accomplish tasks that are necessary to make informed choices and participate fully in everyday life.

  3. Functional illiteracy, on the other hand, is used to describe a situation where a person has writing and reading skills considered inadequate to perform employment duties that demand reading and writing skills that go beyond the basic level.

Causes of Illiteracy

The question is that despite the vast educational advances of the last 72 years since India got independence, why do many people remain illiterate? There are so many reasons why an individual is illiterate. These are some of the causes of the inability to read or write. Let’s discuss the causes of illiteracy in India –

  1. Illiteracy among parents: 

Many illiterate parents do not put much emphasis on the importance of education. Several of those born to parents who can neither read nor write end up being illiterate. This is especially true in remote areas where many people in the older generation have not gone through formal education. The reverse is true for those brought up by parents with an elaborate educational background. They realize the necessity of taking their children to school and therefore ensure they receive a good education.

  1. Lack of family support: 

This can be the cause of illiteracy, more so when a child has difficulty reading or writing because of dyslexia. When the family does not understand the child’s condition, it may be assumed that he or she is not a bright person and maybe school is not meant for everyone. Supportive family members help a child overcome a reading disability and go through formal education with minimal.

  1. Unemployment of the educated: 

Some people believe that the only reason someone should go to school is to get a good job and make a good life. Without the promise of employment, education is not a necessity for them. In India, where many educated people are unemployed, there may not be enough motivation for the illiterate to go to school. The unemployment rate in India as of 24 July 2019 in India is 7.6%. Therefore, after all, they reckon, why would you spend so much money paying for your education when there is no promise of a return on investment? Suppose India could decrease the rate of unemployment. In that case, people could be motivated to go to school and have a good and reasonable income, and it would be possible to eliminate illiteracy.

  1. Lack of awareness: 

In places where several members of the local population do not understand why it is important for them to go to school, the level of illiteracy may be high. Disinterest in the benefits of formal learning can also be caused by a lack of awareness of the importance of going to school. The number of illiterate people in urban areas tends to be lower than those in rural areas. People in towns are more aware of the need to eliminate illiteracy. These challenges arise from lack of education and the social benefits of being literate compared to those who live in remote place.

  1. Social barriers: 

Many social barriers, such as restrictions on girls’ education in some societies, lead to illiteracy among the affected segment of the population. Education of the girl child has been an issue in some parts of the world, leading to the formation of different organizations focused on championing womens education. Forcing children into marriage is another social issue that causes illiteracy in the community. Family or social norms where female education is not allowed also causes illiteracy. In societies where the caste system is still in force, those who fall into the wrong caste may not get the opportunity to go to school. They are condemned at birth to remain illiterate.

  1. Lack of affordable education facilities: 

Those who live in very remote areas with few or no education facilities may remain illiterate. The nearest school might be found several miles away. Instead of going through the tiresome process of walking long distances on a daily basis just to go to school, many choose to stay at home. Lack of access to education facilities in rural areas has contributed greatly to the high number of illiterate people in these places.

  1. Poverty: 

Poor parents with low incomes find it difficult to pay school fees. They are forced to choose between providing basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothing and taking their children to school. In countries where basic education is not free, the number of children who do not attend school tends to be higher than in places where basic education is free and mandatory.

Consequences of Illiteracy

What are the consequences of Illiteracy? How does illiteracy affect the life of an individual and society? These are some consequences that affect the inability to read and write, these are as follows –

  1. Hinders economic and social progress: 

Illiteracy greatly inhibits the economic and social progress of an individual as well as that of the country. Education gives one the power to seek opportunities and pursue them. People who have gone to school or are well educated have the expertise and intelligence to make good investment decisions and drive the growth agenda of a nation. Illiteracy, therefore, hinders the development of the country.

  1. Poverty: 

Illiteracy leads to poverty. Education equips one with the right skills and expertise for gainful employment. A person who has not gone to school and is unable to read and write may experience a hard time finding a job, especially in a world where the corporate environment is increasingly in demand for well-trained employees who can cope with an industry driven by technology. Without a reasonable source of income, taking care of the dependent family members may be difficult.

  1. Child marriage: 

This is also a problem that may come about due to illiteracy. Parents may fail to recognize the benefits of taking children to school to learn how to read and write. Instead, the girl child may be forced into early marriage. It may also be a means of raising money through dowry payments to support the rest of the family members. In a way, the girl child is viewed as property in some cultures. They can be traded to help the family make ends meet. The practice is especially rampant in areas where many people have not gone to school.

  1. Difficult life: 

An illiterate person can lead a difficult life in so many ways. The inability to find gainful employment can subject one to a life of poverty with poor living conditions. There can be a lack of basic necessities such as good shelter, clothing and decent meals. Illiteracy can also make one a societal misfit, more so in areas where many people have gone to school and have the ability to read and write. Such a person can be the center of ridicule and suffer from stress and low self-esteem. Without the ability to read and write, it can be hard to read instructions which in some cases may have dire consequences. They say ignorance is bliss, but that is not true when a person’s life is on the line.

  1. Social crimes: 

Through education, a person can cultivate some civic sense and develop socially acceptable behavior patterns. Illiterate people may engage in unlawful acts in society due to lack of employment or simply as a result of being uncultured. In countries where the number of those who have not gone to school is high, social crime levels also tend to be high.

  1. Underpayment, Underemployment, Unemployment: 

We live in a world where the job market favors properly educated people with useful skills to drive company growth. Many illiterate people are thus underpaid, underemployed or unemployed. They cannot earn income and, in many cases, perform many duties with little pay.

  1. Intergenerational Illiteracy: 

The issue of illiteracy can cut across generations within a family. It can become cyclic in such a way that even the third or fourth-generation family members suffer the same fate. Intergenerational Illiteracy mainly comes about because education is given little to no value in the family setup. The children that come along will thus see illiteracy as the norm and not make any effort to learn how to read and write.

What are the possible solutions to stop or control illiteracy?

The 1948 United Nation Declaration of Human Rights stated that everyone has a right to education. And if India could have achieved just like that of Russia and China, then the vast population of a country would benefit in multidimensional. Generally spread of literacy is associated with modernization, urbanization, industrialization, communication and commerce. It has become important for the overall development of individuals enabling them to comprehend their social, political and cultural environment better and respond to it appropriately.

Let us try to find possible solutions how to stop or control illiteracy in India:

  1. Free education: 

The provision of free education in schools, colleges, and universities by the government can play a major role in reducing the level of illiteracy in a country by getting more people to school. Since some people fail to attend school due to a lack of money to pay for the fees, offering free education can increase the number of people attending school and subsequently reduce illiteracy levels within a society.

  1. Adult Education: 

The National Literacy Mission was launched on May 5, 1988, to impact functional literacy for non-literates in the country in the age group of 15–35 years. The mission objective is to attain a sustainable threshold literacy rate of 75% by 2007. The NLM has several achievements, such as:

  1. Literacy Campaigns have been launched in 597 districts, out of which 174 districts are in Post Literacy programmes and 328 districts are in continuing education phase.

  2. Literacy projects sanctioned so far under all the schemes of NLM are estimated to cover more than 150 million neo-literates.

  3. 125.6 million have already been made literate under all programs of NLM.

  4. 60% of learners are female and 40% are male.

  5. 23% of learners belong to Scheduled Caste and 12% to Scheduled Tribes.

  6. The cumulative number of literary volunteers mobilized since the launching of literacy campaigns is about 15 million.

The literacy campaigns thus represent the largest ever civil and military mobilization in the countrys history.

  1. Awareness: 

Creating awareness about the importance of education can help people understand why they need to go to school. Non-governmental organizations, government agencies, and other concerned parties should put in place deliberate measures to create awareness in society and reduce the number of people who are unable to read and write.

  1. Grants: 

Offering grants, subsidies, and scholarships can reduce the financial burden that parents and students bear in paying for education. It would make it possible for students to learn without interrupting their education due to a lack of school fees. Parents would also channel the money that would have been used to pay for school fees towards other income-generating projects. The cost of financing education can be too high, especially for those living in poverty.

  1. Late night classes: 

Working people can opt for late-night classes. In this way, they can learn even as they earn income through their daytime jobs.

  1. Free books: 

The government and different foundations can offer free books in schools to encourage students to develop a reading culture. Offering free books can also reduce the financial burden placed on parents by providing textbooks.

  1. Digitization: 

Since we live in the age of technology and information, creating digital platforms for reading and learning can help reduce illiteracy in society. It can also help take care of the challenge of the shortage of education facilities. Digital libraries can provide a good platform for those who live far away from urban centers to expand their knowledge base and become more informed.

  1. Lower educational cost: 

Even though education has its rewards, it is very costly to finance. Many graduates usually leave school with huge debts in the form of student loans. It makes saving and investing difficult. University education costs have been a key political and social issue in many nations. By lowering the cost of education, the government can make it easier for people to study up to the highest level possible.

The value of education cannot be underestimated. Many people like to think of it merely as a process of gaining the skills and expertise necessary for the job market. Even though education gives an individual a competitive advantage in the job market, which is not all that it does. Going to school plays a major role in the way how to inculcate our thought as well as help in the social development of a person. The lessons learned and the experiences that a person goes through while in school prepare him or her for life in society. One can learn problem-solving skills and develop the social intelligence necessary to overcome everyday life challenges. Illiteracy, therefore, has no room in modern society. The more the number of people who have gone to school, the better assurances of social solidarity and homogeneity will come close to one another. Everyone should aspire to be educated and gain knowledge because of the important benefits of being literate. After all, education is the backbone of our great nation.

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