Executive Summary:
This document addresses a question raised in Lok Sabha regarding literacy rates, particularly focusing on Uttar Pradesh and the Moradabad district. It outlines the government's response, detailing literacy statistics and various schemes implemented to promote education, especially for women, under the Right to Education Act 2009 and the National Education Policy 2020. The response includes data from Census 2011 and Periodic Labour Force Survey 2023-24.
Key Points / Main Content:
Literacy Statistics:
* As per Census 2011, Uttar Pradesh had a literacy rate of 67.68%, while Moradabad district had 56.77%, with a female literacy rate of 47.86%.
* The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24 indicates a literacy rate of 78.2% in Uttar Pradesh, with a female literacy rate of 70.4%.
Government Schemes and Initiatives:
* The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act 2009 ensures free and compulsory education for all children aged 6-14, including girls.
* Samagra Shiksha, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, aims to provide quality education from early childhood care to Class 12, emphasizing equitable access for all children, including girls.
* PM POSHAN scheme supports children’s nutritional needs from pre-primary to Class VIII, encouraging school attendance and improved learning outcomes.
* Various Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) for Adult Education have been implemented to improve adult literacy, including women, such as Saakshar Bharat, Padhna Likhna Abhiyan, and ULLAS Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram.
* Saakshar Bharat, implemented from 2009-2018, focused on rural areas with low female literacy, certifying around 7.64 crore learners as literates.
* Padhna Likhna Abhiyan was implemented in the financial year 2020-22, making around 48.16 lakh adults literate.
* ULLAS Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram, from 2022-2027, aims to promote literacy among non-literates across the country, focusing on rural and educationally backward areas and vulnerable communities. It is implemented in hybrid mode and emphasizes foundational literacy, numeracy, and critical life skills. More than 1.7 crore learners, including 1.2 crore women, have appeared in the Literacy Test. Four States/UT namely Ladakh, Mizoram, Goa and Tripura have become fully literate under ULLAS-Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram.
Impact Analysis:
Children (6-14 years):
* Impact: Ensured access to free and compulsory education.
* Action Required: Attend school regularly and take advantage of available educational resources.
Female Population:
* Impact: Increased focus on improving literacy rates and access to educational programs.
* Action Required: Participate in available literacy programs and educational initiatives.
Adult Non-Literates:
* Impact: Access to various adult education programs to gain foundational literacy and numeracy skills.
* Action Required: Enroll in and actively participate in adult literacy programs like ULLAS.
Department of School Education & Literacy:
* Impact: Responsible for implementing and monitoring the various schemes and initiatives aimed at improving literacy rates.
* Action Required: Continue implementing schemes like Samagra Shiksha and ULLAS effectively and monitor their impact on literacy rates.
States and Union Territories:
* Impact: Required to implement and support centrally sponsored schemes for education and literacy.
* Action Required: Adopt and implement the ULLAS program, utilizing online and offline modes, and focus on achieving full literacy.
Key Entities Referenced
Uttar Pradesh: A state in India with literacy rate details mentioned in the policy document.
Moradabad district, Uttar Pradesh: A district within Uttar Pradesh, specifically mentioned for its literacy rate.
Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education RTE Act, 2009: An act ensuring free and compulsory education for children aged 6-14 years in India.
National Education Policy NEP 2020: A national policy to provide quality education.
Samagra Shiksha: A Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented in alignment with the National Education Policy 2020 to provide quality education.
PM POSHAN: A scheme supporting children's nutritional needs by providing hot cooked meals to students.
Saakshar Bharat: A Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented from 2009 to 2018 to improve adult literacy.
ULLAS Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram: A Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented to support literacy among non-literates across the country, aligning with the National Education Policy 2020.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 7
ANSWERED ON 21.07.2025
LITERACY RATE
†*7. Mrs Ruchi Vira:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) whether the average literacy rate of Uttar Pradesh is seventy-six per cent whereas the
average literacy rate in Moradabad Lok Sabha Constituency is sixty-three per cent out of
which the literacy rate of women is merely forty-seven per cent;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the details of various schemes being run by the
Government to facilitate the Right to Education of women in the country; and
(c) the details of steps taken by the Government to increase the literacy rate of women during
the last ten years and the current year?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF EDUCATION
(SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)
(a) to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the HouseSTATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) TO (c) OF THE LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 7 ANSWERED ON 21.07.2025 ASKED BY SMT. RUCHI
VIRA, HON’BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT REGARDING “LITERACY RATE”
(a) : As per Census 2011, the literacy rate of Uttar Pradesh was 67.68 percent whereas the
average literacy rate in Moradabad district was 56.77 percent in which the literacy rate of
women was 47.86 percent. As per Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) conducted by
National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) in 2023-24, the literacy rate of Uttar Pradesh is 78.2
percent in which literacy rate of women in Uttar Pradesh is 70.4 percent.
(b) and (c): The Right to Education in India, as provisioned under the Right of Children
to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, ensures that all children aged 6-14
years, including girls, have access to free and compulsory education. The Department of
School Education & Literacy is implementing a Centrally Sponsored Scheme Samagra
Shiksha in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, to provide quality
education from early childhood care and education (ECCE) to Class 12. The scheme
emphasizes equitable access and an inclusive classroom environment for all children
including girls.
Additionally, the PM POSHAN scheme supports children nutritional needs by providing hot
cooked meals to students from pre-primary to Class VIII, thereby encouraging school
attendance and learning outcomes. These measures collectively strengthen the educational
framework and uphold the right to education for every child, including girls which has
contributed for betterment of school education including women literacy across the country.
Further, in order to improve the literacy rate among adults, including women, in the
country, various Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) for Adult Education have been
implemented like Saakshar Bharat, Padhna Likhna Abhiyan and ULLAS- Nav Bharat
Saaksharta Karyakram, in last 10 years.
Saakshar Bharat: The scheme was implemented from 2009 to 2018 in rural areas of 404
districts in 26 States and one UT, that had adult female literacy rate of 50 percent and below
as per Census 2001, with special focus on women and other disadvantaged groups. During
the implementation of Saakshar Bharat scheme, around 7.64 crore learners were certified as
literates.Padhna Likhna Abhiyan: A Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Adult Education “Padhna
Likhna Abhiyan” was implemented in the Country during the financial year 2020-22, in
which around 48.16 lakh were made literate.
Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society(ULLAS)- Nav Bharat
Saaksharta Karyakram: The Government of India is implementing the Centrally
Sponsored Scheme (CSS), namely, “New India Literacy Programme (NILP)” to align with
the National Education Policy 2020, from 2022-2027 to support all the States and Union
Territories in promoting literacy among non-literates across the country. The scheme focuses
on rural areas, educationally backward areas, women and other vulnerable communities etc.
The scheme is implemented in a hybrid mode, allowing States/UTs the flexibility to
adopt offline or online mode focusing on imparting foundational literacy and numeracy
including critical life skills, digital & financial literacy. ULLAS works with the vision of
making Bharat ‘Jan Jan Saakshar’, driven by Kartavyabodh (a sense of duty), utilising school
platforms and community engagement through volunteerism to achieve full literacy.
Till date, more than 1.7 crore learners, including 1.2 crore women, have appeared in
the Literacy Test - Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT) across
the country. Four States/UT namely Ladakh, Mizoram, Goa and Tripura have become fully
literate under ULLAS-Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram.
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