New India Literacy Programme : Daily Current Affairs

Relevance: GS-2: Issues relating to the development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Education and Human Resources.

Key phrases: Literacy, National Survey of India, New India Literacy Programme, financial literacy, digital literacy, Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, Adult Education.

Why in News?

Government approved a new scheme New India Literacy Programme for the period Financial Years 2022 to 2027 to cover all the aspects of Adult Education to align with National Education Policy 2020 and Budget Announcements 2021-22.

Status of Literacy in India:

As per Census 2011, the absolute number of non-literates of the country in 15 years and above age group is 25.76 crore (Male 9.08 crore, Female 16.68 crore).
According to the report published by the National Survey of India, the Literacy Rate of India in 2021 is 77.7 per cent whereas literacy rate in 2011 was 73%. There is an increase of 4% in 2021 compared to the last census data.
As per UNESCO, India will achieve Universal Literacy in the year 2060.
The male literacy rate of India is 84.7% and female it is 70.3%. The gap between the literacy rates of males and females remains grave. Girls dropping out of schools increased due to economic difficulties.
Literacy Rate in Urban Areas of India is 87.7% where as Literacy Rate in Rural Areas of India is73.5%.
Kerala achieved the highest literacy rate of 96.2% in India, followed by Delhi (88.7%). Kerala has the highest female literacy rate (95.2%) in India, and Lakshadweep had the highest male literacy rate.
Andhra Pradesh has India’s lowest literacy rate of 67.35%. Rajasthan has the lowest male literacy rate in India and Bihar has the lowest female literacy rate.
Under the Saakshar Bharat programme implemented during 2009-10 to 2017-18, 7.64 crore had been certified as literates. It is estimated that currently around 18.12 crore adults are still non-literate in India.

According to the definition provided in the Indian census, Literacy is defined as “acquiring the skills of reading, writing with understanding”. Anyone aged 7 or above with the ability to read and write at least in any one language is considered a literate person.

New India Literacy Programme

The objective of the scheme is to impart not only foundational literacy and numeracy but also to cover other components which are necessary for a citizen of 21st century. It includes critical life skills including financial literacy, digital literacy, commercial skills, health care and awareness, child care and education, and family welfare, vocational skills development with a view towards obtaining local employment, basic education including preparatory, middle, and secondary stage equivalency and continuing education including engaging holistic adult education courses in arts, sciences, technology, culture, sports, and recreation, as well as other topics of interest or use to local learners, such as more advanced material on critical life skills.
The scheme will be implemented through volunteerism through online mode. The training, orientation, workshops of volunteers, may be organized through face-to-face mode. All material and resources shall be provided digitally for easy access to registered volunteers through easily accessible digital modes like TV, radio, cell phone-based free or open-source Apps or portals etc.
The scheme will cover non-literates of the age of 15 years and above in all states and UTs in the country. The target for Foundational Literacy and Numeracy for Financial Years 2022 to 2027 is five crore learners @ 1.00 crore per year by using Online Teaching, Learning and Assessment System OTLAS in collaboration with National Informatics Centre, NCERT and NIOS in which a learner may register him or herself with essential information like name, date of birth, gender, Aadhaar number, mobile number etc.
School will be Unit for implementation of the scheme. Schools to be used for conducting surveys of beneficiaries and Voluntary Teachers. Different strategies are to be adopted for different age cohorts. Flexibility for States and UTs will be provided to undertake innovative activities. Foundational Literacy and Numeracy will be imparted through Critical Life Skills to all non-literates in the age group of 15 years and above.
There will be use of technologies to impart Adult Education for wider coverage of the scheme. Performance Grading Index for State and UT and district level will show the performance of States and UTs to implement the scheme and achievements on yearly basis by weighing both the physical and financial progress through the UDISE portal.
CSR or Philanthropic Support may be received by hosting ICT support, providing volunteer support, opening facilitation centres for learners and for providing IT access to economically weak learners in the form of cell phones, etc.

Factors responsible for Low Literacy Rate in India:

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.
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 a lot to the high number of illiterate people in these places.
Unemployment of the educated: Some people believe that the only reason someone should go to school is so that he or she can get a good job and make a good life. Without the promise of employment, education is not a necessity to them. In a country where many of the educated are unemployed, there may not be enough motivation for the illiterate to go to school. 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?
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 that of those in rural areas because of awareness.
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 go to school tends to be higher compared to places where basic education is free and mandatory.

Solution to Illiteracy:

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 the 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 society.
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.
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 the 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 prove to be too high especially for those who live in poverty.
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.

Steps taken by Government of India to improve Literacy Rate in India:

Free education programs to poor people living in villages and towns.
Setting up of new schools and colleges at district and state levels.
The Primary School system has expanded to over 5,00,000 villages in India.
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is a significant step towards providing elementary education to all children in the age group of 6-14 years by 2010. It is a time bound initiative of the central government, in partnership with the states, the local government and the community for achieving the goal of universalisation of elementary education.
Mid-day meal scheme has been implemented to encourage attendance and retention of childern, and improve their nutritional status.
Several committees have been formed to ensure proper utilization of funds allotted to improve literacy rate.
Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao is the latest initiative taken by Government of India to save and educate the girl child in India.
State literacy campaigns are launched at several times to conduct door to door survey to examine overall literacy scenario in the districts.

Way Forward:

The value of education cannot be underestimated. Many people like to think of it merely as a process to gain 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 mental as well as 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 the community. Everyone should aspire to be educated and gain knowledge because of the important benefits of being literate.

Article 21-A of the Constitution of India to provide free and compulsory education of all children in the age group of six to fourteen years as a Fundamental Right in such a manner as the State may, by law, determine.

Source: News on Air

Mains Question:

Q. “Literacy plays a significant role in reducing gender, race, nationality, and religious inequality in society”. Comment (250 works).