How India’s literacy programs have fallen short

Lack of literacy can have serious implications for employability. Conversely it can also be a major hurdle for applying for public welfare. The lack of basic literacy can influence someone’s resilience to setbacks, stress, feeling of well-being and the extent to which they feel in control of their lives.

‘Literacy’ is a complex and dynamic concept. No one definition of literacy accommodates all its facets. It refers to a context-bound continuum of reading, writing, and numeracy skills, acquired and developed through a process of learning and application. 

In India, literacy is understood as the definition from the Census of India (held every decade) — the ability to read and write in at least one language. India’s literacy rate has almost doubled over a period of 40 years, from 37.3 percent in 1971 to 74.0 percent in 2011. Although commendable, India still remains far from the goal of achieving universal literacy.