India's literacy level is 74 per cent

New Delhi (PTI) - India's literacy level has
increased by 9.21 per cent in the past 10 years to reach 74.04
per cent, according to provisional data of the 2011 census
released here on Thursday.
According to the data, literates constitute 74 per
cent of the total population aged seven and above and
illiterates form 26 per cent.
The literacy rate went up from 64.83 per cent in
2001 to 74.04 per cent in 2011 showing an increase of 9.21 per
cent.
Interestingly, females literacy level saw a
significant jump as compared to males between 2001-2011.
While female literacy in 2001 stood at 53.67 per cent,
it has gone up to 65.46 per cent in 2011. The male literacy in
comparison rose from 75.26 to 82.14 per cent.
Kerala with 93.91 per cent continues to occupy the top
position among states in the field of literacy while Mizoram's
Serchhip (98.76 per cent) and Aizawl (98.50 per cent) recorded
highest literacy rates among districts.
Lakshadweep followed Kerala with a literacy level of
92.28 per cent, while Bihar remained at the bottom of the
ladder with a literacy rate of 63.82 per cent followed by
Arunachal Pradesh at 66.95 per cent.
Ten states and UTs viz. Kerala, Lakshadweep, Mizoram,
Tripura, Goa, Daman and Diu, Puducherry, Chandigarh, NCT of
Delhi and Andaman and Nicobar Islands achieved literacy
rate of above 85 per cent, the target set by the Planning
Commission to be achieved by 2011-12.
The gap of 21.59 percentage points recorded between
male and female literacy rates in 2001 census has reduced to
16.68 percentage points in 2011. Planning Commission has set
up target of reducing this gap to 10 percentage points by
2011-12.