State Wise Literacy Rate in India 2024 - Dare to Miss The Top 10

Literacy is a powerful tool to improve the lives of people. It helps them to overcome the struggles of life (like poverty and ignorance). And empowers them to prosper independently. India has taken immense strides as a great economic power, and envisions to be a developed nation by 2047. But to materialize these futuristic plans, we need to be a well-educated nation with good literacy rates. Let’s take a look at the progress made in achieving literacy rates over a while. And see how to bridge the gaps in order to improve our country’s overall literacy levels.

Some figures about literacy:

Global Standing – Globally, there is a huge disparity in the literacy rates of the developed and developing nations. As per Weforum, most developed countries in Europe had a literacy rate of 99%. While India reached a mark of 74% by 2018.

Improvement Trend After Independence- As of 2022, India’s total literacy rate improved to 77.70%. And all this was possible because of a series of ongoing reforms and policies over many decades. From 18% in 1947 to 74% in 2018, India has come a long way with policies, reforms, and a network of schools (traditional and online). However, the target is to achieve 100% literacy across all states and Union Territories to improve the quality of life.

1947	1951	2018
18%	18.30%	74.40%

100% Literacy Target Estimations- To break down further, here’s a look at the data from a World Bank report.

76% of the Indians above the age 15 years were literate by the year 2022. The chart below shows the trend.
India is expected to meet the target of 100% literacy by 2032 i.e. 10 years from the recent data (in 2022).

Significant Growth Period- By far, the years 2011 and 2017 had the most remarkable growth trends in terms of literacy rates. Here’s a look at another data released by the Government of India.

Before we discuss about the Literacy rates of Indian states, let’s take a look at some NFHS Survey findings (2019-21) for a rough idea about the mindset of Indian citizens related to education and empowerment:

The literacy rate of men was reported as 84.4%.
For women, this rate was 71.5%.
13.6% of children attended pre-primary school.
33.3% of women and 57.1% of men had used the internet.
25.4% of women were working (paid in cash).

Let’s move on to the actual state-wise literacy rates now. Please note that the figures below are not based on the last census in 2011. These are procured from the recent report released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, 75^thRound, ‘Key Indicators of Household Social Consumption on Education in India’ as these statistics are more recent. You can refer to table number 2.1 in this document.

State Wise Literacy Rate in India (As of 2018):

State-wise literacy rate in India (in percent) of age 7 years and above
Rank	State	%
1	Kerala	96.2
2	Delhi	88.7
3	Uttarakhand	87.6
4	Himachal Pradesh	86.6
5	Assam	85.9
6	Maharashtra	84.8
7	Punjab	83.7
8	Tamil Nadu	82.9
9	Gujarat	82.4
10	West Bengal	80.5
11	Haryana	80.4
12	Chhattisgarh	77.3
13	Jammu & Kashmir	77.3
14	Odisha	77.3
15	Karnataka	77.2
16	Jharkhand	74.3
17	Madhya Pradesh	73.7
18	Uttar Pradesh	73
19	Telangana	72.8
20	Bihar	70.9
21	Rajasthan	69.7
22	Andhra Pradesh	66.4

While there is a country-wide drive to promote literacy, there is still a stark disparity between states, let’s understand what makes the top-rank states worth their position.

Best Practices of Some Top-Rank Literate States

Gender Parity and Inclusiveness: Kerala (Most literate state)

India Today reveals the recent figures of India’s most literate state, Kerala (as per the recent National Statistical Office data, as of 2018). Kerala’s literacy rate is 96.2%. And the break-up of male and female population literacy rates is equally impressive. Female literacy in this state is as high as 95.2%. While the male literacy rate tops the chart with 97.4%.

A leading journal, Deccan Herald investigates the reason why the state has achieved this remarkable benchmark. It was found that Kerala reached this milestone by bringing in the members of the marginalized sections into the mainstream through the power of literacy. 1, 08,057 illiterate people have joined the literate group in a span of 4 years (from 2016 to 2020). And this figure included the tribal community as well.

The best part is that for the first time in a period of 30 years, this most literate state managed to achieve these targets. As not just the inhabitants of Kerala, but even the ones who migrated to the state attained the minimum literacy levels.

West Bengal

Similar to Kerala, West Bengal also made some great efforts to improve its educational infrastructure by categorically focusing on the education of its scheduled tribes. This state used all the available data sources (like government census and similar surveys) to identify the workable areas and created some state-level policies (over and above the central government policies that were in place). Some of these are:

Sikhashree for classes V to VIII- For families with an annual income of 2.5 lakhs, students are paid Rs. 800 every year.

Ashram Hostel scheme is for the students (ST boys and girls) wherein they get a bedroll, soap, garments, and kerosene along with Rs. 750 per month.

Delhi

The initiatives taken by the Delhi government and awareness in the masses have helped Delhi to be a hub of quality education, with some visionary steps such as the launching of an online school (Delhi Model Virtual School). And the transformation of Delhi’s education system, there has been a positive change in the quality of education.

Chandigarh

Another example of learning enhancement through initiatives is Chandigarh. This Union Territory introduced BaLA project in 100 government schools. Under this project, initiatives like new language labs, Social Science labs, study tours, Knowledge parks, etc. helped to improve the learning outcomes of students. This state plays a vital role in improving overall literacy status of India.

While some states have shown remarkable improvements, others still seem to struggle.

States with low literacy rates in India

To reduce the extent of illiteracy in India, several initiatives are planned and implemented by policymakers. Despite making all efforts, basic education and foundational literacy are still fancy terms for many Indians. Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, and Rajasthan have the lowest literacy rates in India.

Literacy and India- The Vision

The literacy status in India has improved over a period of time. And in the years to come, our policymakers have bigger plans to make it even better. Our government has declared its aims to achieve universal foundational literacy and numeracy in primary school by 2025 as an urgent national mission (Part 2.2 Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, National Education Policy 2020).

It is wonderful that our policymakers are keen to address this issue. But is it practically possible to reach this milestone? Here’s a reality check of some ongoing problems!

What are the Ground Level Problems of Literacy in India?

The causes of illiteracy in India have made it one of the biggest challenges. The issue of awareness in our masses has defeated the purpose of several national policies and government initiatives. The masses are still not able to make the most of the government policies at the ground level. And the number of out-of-school children is still alarming (12,53,019 in 2022-23). The highest number of out-of-school children at the elementary level were in Uttar Pradesh (3,96,655), Bihar (1,34,252), Gujrat (1,06,885), Assam (80,739), Haryana (22,841), and Tamil Nadu (20,352). The government is already working on varied policies through ‘Samagra Shiksha’, ‘Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas’, ‘ Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Avasiya Vidyalayas’, etc. but again, a healthy change is still awaited.

Why do these retention drives and initiatives fail, let’s decode!

Causes of illiteracy in India

Lack of parental support
Accessibility issues and geographical barriers
Infrastructure-related problems
Poor teacher quality
Dropping out of school
Challenging situations
Learning disabilities
Financial problems
Difficulty in understanding academic subjects
Discrimination against girls (early marriage, discrimination, household responsibilities. etc.)

Why does India have a poor female literacy rate?

Female literacy rate in India

As per a survey in 2020, only 69% of women were literate in India while the male literacy rate was 83%. To achieve the targets we need to defeat the barriers to girls education. And help them to avail the benefits of government schemes like cycle yojna (Bihar), Udaan, and Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, etc.

Indian girls often face challenges related to gender parity, they are forced to drop out of school as mostly families prefer educating a male child. Other challenges related to safety in schools, poor infrastructure (lack of toilets), health issues, and financial constraints, etc. are also some big causes of girls dropping out of the mainstream system.

<95% of the Indian schools had girls’ toilets. Assam and Meghalaya were the most problematic states with the least percentage of girls’ toilets i.e. 83.4% and 84.1% respectively>

How can we resolve these literacy issues?

The greatest of challenges can be defeated with honest efforts. And the same is true for the problem of illiteracy in India. Our country needs better ground-level implementation of government policies. And this target cannot be achieved only by our policymakers. As stakeholders, all of us have a part to play. We need to keep a check on student enrollment. And raise our voices for any case of RTE (Right to Education) violation. The solution is possible through a joint effort. So each one of us should make deliberate efforts to increase the awareness of education in the masses.

In India literacy rate state-wise can also be improved by taking up educational alternatives like online schools to eliminate barriers to a child’s education.

Concluding Thoughts

Literacy is the foundation of a successful life! And an imperative factor for the country’s growth and process. In India, the change is visible. However, the way forward is still long and difficult for many families.

Despite the complexity of situations, we must always remember that the change starts with us. Let’s gear up to remove the stigma of illiteracy from the face of our great nation. And drive the change that we wish to see as responsible stakeholders!

Frequently Asked Questions:

Which state has the highest literacy rate in India?
Kerala is having the highest literacy rate in India with a literacy rate of 94.0%.
What is the extent of illiteracy in India?
Illiteracy in India is a big challenge. By the year 2015, UNESCO reported the figure of 32,663,864 illiterate population between the age groups of 15 to 24 years. The same number was 266,180,342 for the Indian population that was over 15 years of age.
Which are the top 10 education states in India?
The top 10 education states are as follows:
1. Kerala
2. Delhi
3. Uttarakhand
4. Himachal Pradesh
5. Assam
6. Maharashtra
7. Punjab
8. Tamil Nadu
9. Gujarate
10. West Bengal

How to resolve the problems of literacy in India?
The problem of illiteracy can be resolved by spreading awareness among the masses about the benefits of education. And the varied government schemes that are already operational across the world. We also need to get the out-of-school children back into the mainstream system by taking proactive steps to resolve their family issues.
Which state has the lowest literacy rate in India?
Bihar is the lowest literate state in India.
Which is the most educated state in India
Kerala is the most educated state in India with a literacy rate of 96.2%
How is the Literacy Rate calculated in India?
Literacy rate in India:- ( Total no of Literate persons age 7 or above / Total population age 7 and above ) * 100
How can we improve the female literacy rate in India?
We must encourage girls education and help to retain them within the mainstream schooling system. There should be a conscious effort to free girls from the burden of household chores at the school-going age.