“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free”, this quote by Frederick Douglass, a social reformer and writer, is ideal to understand the crucial role of education in ensuring the growth of any nation.
According to the 2011 Census, any individual aged seven years or above who has the ability to read and write is considered literate. As India is one of the most promising developing nations in the world, today, we will have a glimpse of the top 10 Indian states with the highest literacy rate.
1. Kerala: The literacy rate of the state is 96.2%. From the last few years, Kerala has been the most literate state in the country. The male literacy rate stands at 97.4% and the female literacy rate at 95.2%.
2. Delhi: With a literacy rate of 88.7%, Delhi has emerged as the second most literate state/union territory in India where 93.7% male population is literate and 82.4% of the female population is literate.
3. Uttarakhand: The Literacy rate is 87.6%. After Kerala and Delhi, Uttarakhand is the third highest literate state in India where male literacy rate stands at 94.3%, whereas female literacy rate is 80.7%.
4. Himachal Pradesh: Literacy rate is 86.6%. Alike other states, Himachal Pradesh also has a wide gap between male and female literacy rate. The male literacy rate in the state is 92.9%, and the female literacy rate is 80.5%
5. Assam: The overall literacy rate of Assam is 85.9%. The male literacy rate is 90.1%, whereas the female literacy rate is 81.2%.
6. Maharashtra: Maharashtra is the 2nd largest state in India by population with rapid a growth rate. The literacy rate of the state stands as 82.34 %
7. Punjab: As per official statistics, the population of Punjab in 2021 is 3.07 Crore with a literacy rate of 75.84%
8. Tamil Nadu: Literacy rate of Tamil Nadu has witnessed a significant surge which is 80.09% as per the 2011 census.
9. Gujarat: Literacy rate of Gujarat is 78.03 % and the state has made considerable progress in the recent years.
10. West Bengal: Average Literacy rate in West Bengal for Urban regions was 84.78% in which males were 88.37% literate while the female literacy rate stood at 76.01%.
Literacy rate plays a major role in determining the growth of a country. As the backbone of progress, it reflects the quality of life and skills of people.
