Population as a Resource:

Literacy
Prof (Dr) Jitendra Mohanty
School of Management
KIIT DU
Literacy
The United Nations Educational, Scientific
anf Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has
defined literacy as follows:
 A literate person is one who can, with
understanding of both, read and write a short,
simple statement relevant to his everyday life
 Literacy is not the simple reading of a word or
a set of associated symbols and sounds, but an
act of critical understanding of man’s situation
in the world
 Literacy is not an end in itself but a means of personal
liberation and development and extending
individual’s educational efforts involving overall
inter-disciplinary responses to concrete problems
 A literate person is one who has acquired all the
essential knowledge and skills which enable him to
engage in all those activities in which literacy is
required for effective functioning in his group and
community and whose attaining skills in reading,
writing and numeracy make it possible to use these
skills towards his own and his community
development
Traditionally,a literate person would mean
“a person who is able to read and write and
use language to communicate in one form
or the other”
Literacy is measured by using literacy rates,
which are percentage of literate people
Adult literacy rate is defined as the
percentage of population aged 15 years and
above who are literate
Literacy Scenario in India
Literacy rate in India end of British rule was just
12%
India’s effective literacy rate recorded 9.2% rise
to reach 74.04% (2011 census data)
It was around 65% in 2001
Over the years literacy rate has improved
sharply among females compared to males
Males: 75.26% to 82.14% 9 (rise of 6.9%)
Females: It increased by 11.8% to go from
53.67% to 65.46%
The Census of India defines literacy as “the state
where at the age of 7 or above, a person can read
and write with understanding of any language”
Analysis of literacy rate indicates:
 the extent of economic development of a country
the quality of education
social development
Wealth of a region
High income countries having attained high level
of literacy no longer collect literacy statistics
Literacy in India is key to socio-economic progress
Literacy rate grew from 12% in 1947 to 74.04% in 2011
Though this was six fold improvement, level well below
the qorld average literacy rate of 84%
India currently has the largest illiterate population in the
world
Despite government programs and interventions, Indian
literacy rate increased sluggishly
1990 study estimated that India would would achieve
universal literacy at the current rate of progress by 2060
only
However, the 2011 census indicated the 2001-2011 decadal
grpwth of 9.2% - slower that the growth seen in previous
decade
Wide gender disparity in the literacy rate in India – effective
literacy rate (age 7 and above) in 2011 82.14% for men and
65.46% for women
Low female literracy rate had dramatically negative impact on
family planning and population stabilisation efforts in the
country
Studies indicate female literacy strong predictor for use of
contraception among married couples, even when women do
not otherwise have economic independence
Female literacy rate at 11.8% was substantially faster than
male literacy rate of 6.9% in 2001-2011 decadal period
evidences narrowing down of the gender gap
Vatican City is tghe most educated
country in the world – small city state
with population of 826 people while
lieracy rate is 100% of total population
(male and female)
Finland ranked as the third country in the
world with highest literacy (100%)
Literacy figures of few countries –
disparity in literacy can be clearly
understood from the figures
India 74.04
China 95.9
Costa Rica 95.9
Bahamas 95.8
Pakistan 58.2
Ethiopia 35.9
Country Adult Literacy Youth Literacy
Rate Rate
China 93.3%(2007) 98.9%(2004)
Sri Lanka 90.8%(2007) 98
Burma 89.9%(2007) 94.4% (2004)
Iran 82.4%(2007) 95% (2002)
World Average 84%(1998) 88%(2001)
India 74.04%(2011) 82%(2001)
Nepal 56.5%(2007) 62.7%
Pakistan 62.2%(2007) 73.9%
Bangladesh 53.5%(2007) 74%
Previous table indicates the difference in
literacy rate between developed and
developing countries – and also between
ages
35% of world’s illiterate population is
Indian
Based on historic patterns of literacy
growth across world, India may account
for a majority of the world’s illiterates by
2020
Literacy rate maximum in Kerala (93.9%)
– minimum in Rajasthan (67.1%)
Orissa – rank 19th – 73.5%
Importance of Literate Population as a
Resource
Literacy key tool to make the workforce efficient
Impact of literacy on economic development is positive
Provides impetus to standard of living, percapita
income, GDP, industrialization and development of
infrastructure in a country
Enhances working capabilities of people –
opportunities for skill development
Literacy and economic development have endless
companionship
Role played by literacy in economic development is
presdominant
Literacy: Positive Influence on Economic
Development
Enhances skills of workforce – positive influence on
work behaviour – increases earning capacity – can earn
more – both micro (individual) and macro (GDP) level
Develops a sense of responsibility – one becomes a
good citizen
Brings about a sense of competition among different
firma, industries and sectors of production – helps
economy to grow
Helps control and maintain population growth –
qualitative population with increased standard of living
– greater access to basic needs
 Increased technical education helps to develop new
and sophisticated methods of production and
distribution – can reduce the cost of production –
results in increased return on investment
Educated and skilled workers asset of a country –
demand for them within the country as well as
outside - can earn foreign exchange – boosts GDP –
remittances
When literate people run the government and manage
the economy, country has maximum benefits –
resources get allocated at its best – chances of
misallocation and misutilisation of resources
diminish
Proper and planned allocation of resources bring
increased and qualitative production – increased
production leads to more employment opportunities
– level of unemplyment reduces in the country
Inflation major problem in today’s economies –
reduction in inflation directly related to reduction in
unemployment level
Literacy and skill development help to reduce
unemployment – this leads towards control over
inflation – economy flourishes with economic
development
Literacy enhances business communication
skills – bettyer job opportunities – helps
maintain pleasant relationship between
employer and employee – reduction in
frictions – increased productivity results
Literacy enhances social skills – realizes
importance of networking, relationship
building – greater cohesion – end of social
isolation