Female literacy growth rate higher than male in Bihar

Patna, March 08:

The dismal literacy scenario in Bihar notwithstanding, the state has not only witnessed a reduction in gender disparity during the 1980s and 1990s but also seen female literacy rate grow at a faster pace than male literacy.

In 1981, the female literacy rate of 16.5 per cent was 65 per cent lower than the male rate of 46.6 per cent, but this gap came down to 57 per cent in 1991 and 45 per cent in 2001, according to the economic survey 2006-07 presented by Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi,

who also holds the finance portfolio, to the state assembly recently. The survey said while the overall decadal increase in literacy rate in 1981-91 was 6.1 per cent, the female literacy rate grew by 6.4 per cent against 5.9 per cent for males. In 1991-2001, the overall literacy rate went up by 9.3 per cent -

the figure being 10.7 per cent for females and 7.8 per cent for males. As per 2001 census, Bihar had a literacy rate of 47 per cent which was only a little higher than the national literacy rate of 43.6 per cent in 1981. "In other words, the state is nearly two decades behind the nation vis-a-vis its literacy status. Between 1991 and 2001, the literacy rate increased in Bihar by 9.3 per cent (37.7 to 47 per cent).

At this rate, total literacy in Bihar is more than half a century away, while for India it can be expected in about two decades from now," the survey pointed out. It said in spite of reduction in gender disparity, literacy rates were lowest among the female population, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and the rural population.