Question

Adult literacy movement and its function in India

Answer 1

Adult literacy is a practice in which adults engage in systematic and sustained self–educating activities in order to gain new forms of knowledge, skills, attitudes, or values.It can mean any form of learning adults engage in beyond traditional schooling, encompassing basic literacy to personal fulfillment as a lifelong learner.In particular, adult education reflects a specific philosophy about learning and teaching based on the assumption that adults can and want to learn, that they are able and willing to take responsibility for that learning, and that the learning itself should respond to their needs.Driven by what one needs or wants to learn, the available opportunities, and the manner in which one learns, adult learning is affected by demographics, globalization and technology.The learning happens in many ways and in many contexts just as all adults' lives differ.Adult learning can be in any of the three contexts, i.e.Formal – Structured learning that typically takes place in an education or training institution, usually with a set curriculum and carries credentials; Non-formal – Learning that is organized by educational institutions but non credential. Non-formal learning opportunities may be provided in the workplace and through the activities of civil society organizations and groups; Informal education – Learning that goes on all the time, resulting from daily life activities related to work, family, community or leisure (e.g. community baking class) Function of adult literacy in India. Literacy in India is a key for socio-economic progress,and the Indian literacy rate has grown to 74.04% (2011 figure) from 12% at the end of British rule in 1947.Although this was a greater than sixfold improvement, the level is well below the world average literacy rate of 84%and of all nations, India currently has the largest illiterate population.Despite government programmes, India's literacy rate increased only "sluggishly",and a 1990 study estimated that it would take until 2060 for India to achieve universal literacy at then-current rate of progress.The 2011 census, however, indicated a 2001–2011 decadal literacy growth of 9.2%, which is slower than the growth seen during the previous decade. There is a wide gender disparity in the literacy rate in India: effective literacy rates (age 7 and above) in 2011 were 82.14% for men and 65.46% for women.The low female literacy rate has had a dramatically negative impact on family planning and population stabillisation efforts in India. Studies have indicated that female literacy is a strong predictor of the use of contraception among married Indian couples, even when women do not otherwise have economic independence.The census provided a positive indication that growth in female literacy rates (11.8%) was substantially faster than in male literacy rates (6.9%) in the 2001–2011 decadal period, which means the gender gap appears to be narrowing. The current literacy rate of India is 74.04%.