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Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Teacher’s Day address has rightly caused a stir, and helped focus attention not only on that much neglected community, but on the critical importance of education and skills in national development. Unfortunately, President Pranab Mukherjee’s address a couple of days later, on the occasion of World Literacy Day, did not attract anything close to that scale of attention. Which is a pity. Because, while he might lack Modi’s oratorical skills or the ability to engage with audiences, the President is a wise and experienced man, who knows more than a thing or two about the problems dogging our country. His speech might have been the usual ceremonial affair — but that does not take away from the importance of the issues he raised.
“Today, more than 67 years after our Independence, where are we? The literacy rate has increased four times from 18 per cent in 1951 to about 74 per cent in 2011. Despite this, our literacy level is below the world average of 84 per cent,” the President said. Even that 74 per cent is somewhat flattering, and requires unquestioned acceptance of government data. India is still home to the world’s largest population of adult illiterates. We have made slow progress in redressing this. And the problem is getting worse. The gender gap in literacy is also worrying with male and female literacy rates at 80.89 and 64.64 per cent respectively.
The World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index hit the headlines because India slid in the rankings for the sixth year in a row. India ranked 78th in universal primary education, 88th in the quality of primary education and 93rd in higher education and training.
We may be getting more kids into school but they are dropping out more. A mapping of functional literacy will show us in even worse light. Financial literacy is appalling, we are mostly technologically illiterate, and average writing and communication skills of even tertiary degree holders is worse than that of high school grads from developed nations. By all means, let’s make Varanasi into Kyoto and Mumbai into Shanghai. But shouldn’t the population of these cities at least be able to read the street signs?
Senior Associate Editor
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