Female Literacy Rate In India Improves For Third Year In A Row

For three consecutive years, the female literacy rate in India has improved, the Sample Registration Survey revealed. The average literacy of women in the age group of 15-45 years has increased to 87 percent in 2018 from 84.8 percent in 2016. Moreover, in the year 2018, 12.5 percent of women were found to have completed school education, up from 12 percent in 2017. Overall, Kerala fared the best in female literacy, with 99.5 percent female literacy rate, breaking its own record of 99.3 percent in 2017, the New Indian Express reported.

The female literacy rate in India was also connected with the fertility rates in females, with 3 percent in unlettered ones, whereas 1.7 percent among the graduates.

Best Performing States

The top three best performing states in improving the female literacy rate are Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. While Kerala improved to 99.5 percent in 2018 from 99.3 percent in 2017, Himachal Pradesh had a 98.8 percent female literacy rate, the same as in 2017. Further, Tamil Nadu improved from 96.2 percent in 2017 to 96.8 percent in 2018.

In the fertility rates, Uttar Pradesh stood second, with a 2.9 percent female literacy rate among its literate female population.

Also Read: 86% of Women Going On Hajj Without A Meharam Are From Kerala

Worst Performing States

The three worst-performing states in the female literacy rate were Bihar, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan. While Bihar reduced its female literacy rate from 28.3 percent in 2016 to 23.5 percent in 2018, Jharkhand reduced its literacy rate from 25 percent in 2016 to 22.6 percent in 2018. For Rajasthan, this figure fell to 20 percent in 2018.

The average literacy rate was also connected with the fertility rates in females. The overall fertility rate of females among the illiterate was 3%, among those who are literate but without any formal education, the fertility rate was 2.5%, among those who studied up to middle school it is 2.5, 1.8% in those who have finished their schools, and 1.7% among the graduates.

In the fertility rates, Uttar Pradesh stood second, with a 2.9 percent female literacy rate among its literate female population. In this area, Bihar fared the worst, with a 3 percent fertility rate even among its literate female population.

Also Read: India Slips To 112 Of 153 Countries In Global Gender Gap Index

Picture Credit: CNN