The President, Pranab Mukherjee has stated that from18 per cent literacy in 1951, the country has improved the rate to 74 per cent in 2011. By all means this is slow march; we should have achieved hundred per cent literacy by now. We are still behind the level of literacy in developed countries. It will be reminded that during Soviet regime, Central Asian Republics attained hundred per cent literacy within ten years. And it was this literacy which changed the entire life of the people there. Unfortunately in our country no massive campaign was under taken for mass literacy. The President has hit the nail on the head by saying that illiterate people are exploited by politicians and others and that ultimately keeps the country backward. Illiterate people are easy prey to false rumours and canards that are harmful to the country. Along with this, gender discrimination in literacy is additional curse for any society. The gap between literate females and illiterate females has to be reduced and the HRD Minister who also spoke on the World Literacy Day besides the President said that his Ministry plans to make literacy among the age group 15-35 almost hundred per cent by 2017. If that is done, it will be an achievement and will contribute largely to the progress of the nation. We would suggest the HRD Ministry to initiate a campaign so that NGOs volunteer for bringing 3 R’s (Reading Writing and Numeracy) to the vast majority of our illiterate population.
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