Question

Article on Saksharta ​

Answer 1

Literacy is broadly defined as the ability to read and write. Since children in the age group of 0-6 years are not expected to acquire these skills, the Census treats them as ‘illiterate’. Thus, the literacy data relate to the population aged seven years and above only. “For the purposes of census, a person aged seven and above, who can both read and write with understanding in any language, is treated as literate.

A person, who can only read but cannot write, is not literate” (Census of India 2001, Series 1, Paper 1 of 2001, page 105). However, it “is not mandatory that to be treated as literate, a person should have received any formal education or acquired any minimum educational standard. Literacy status can be acquired through adult literacy classes or by attending any non-formal educational system.