Literacy Rate Of India: Hello Folks, all of us will be knowing the meaning of literacy. But to understand on the same level let define literacy in layman language as the ability to read and write.

Literacy Rate Of India – History & Facts

India is a developing nation and the second largest country in the world as per population. India has a literacy rate of 74%, according to the 2011 census report. Literary rate is calculated after every decade, but in 2021 due to pandemic no data was calculated by census. The 2021 census indicated a growth of 9.2% (for 2001-2011) which was slower than the growth rate seen during the previous decades.

So let us briefly know how was our literacy before and after independence.

Literacy Rate Of India Before Independence

Prior to the colonial era, education in Indian typically occurred under the supervision of Gurus in traditional schools called Gurukuls. Gurukuls were one of the earliest form of public school and these were supported by public donation.

In the colonial era, the community funded Gurukul system and temple based charity, education began to decline as the centrally funded institutions promoted by the British colonial administration began to gradually take over Gurukul system.

In 1944, the British colonial administration presented a plan called “Sargent Scheme” for the educational reconstruction of India with a goal of producing 100% literacy in India within 40 years.

Let us see the literary rate of different decades:-

YEAR	Male %	Female %	Combined %
1872			~3.25
1881	8.1	0.35	4.32
1891	8.44	0.42	4.62
1901	9.8	0.6	5.4
1911	10.6	1.0	5.9
1921	12.2	1.8	7.2
1931	15.6	2.9	9.5
1941	24.9	7.3	16.1
1951	27.16	8.86	18.33
1961	40.4	15.35	28.3
1971	45.96	21.97	34.45
1981	56.38	29.76	43.57
1991	64.13	39.29	52.21
2001	75.26	53.67	64.83
2011	82.14	65.46	74.04

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