India records 74.04 per cent literacy

Updated on: Friday, April 01, 2011

India's effective literacy rate has recorded a 9.2 percent rise to reach 74.04 percent, according to provisional data of the 2011 census released on March 31.

Effective literacy rate in the 2001 census was 64.83, which improved to 74.04, said Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner C. Chandramauli.

Interestingly, literacy rate improved sharply among females as compared to males. While the effective literacy rate for males rose from 75.26 to 82.14 percent marking a rise of 6.9 percent, it increased by 11.8 percent for females to go from 53.67 to 65.46 percent.

According to provisional totals of the latest census, literates constitute 74 percent of total population aged seven and above.

Ten states and union territories, including Kerala, Lakshadweep, Mizoram, Tripura, Goa, Daman and Diu, Puducherry, Chandigarh, National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, have attained literacy rate of above 85 percent, the target set by the Planning Commission to be achieved by 2011-12.

Kerala has the highest literacy rate at 93.91 percent followed by Lakshadweep at 92.28 percent. Bihar is at the bottom of the ladder with literacy rate of 63.82 followed by Arunachal Pradesh at 66.95.

India records 74.04 per cent literacy

More Education news