An Analysis of the Variation of Educational Status and Disparity of Literacy Rates in the Community Development Blocks of Nadia District in West Bengal

Educational status and literacy rates are the significant indicators of development of any region. The different criteria are included with the development of educational status and literacy rates, those are conditions of the rates of literacy, educational institutions, number of students and teachers, educational infrastructures as such. The disparity index indicates the disparity of male-female literacy rates in rural and urban areas. The study comprises with the significant objectives to highlight the educational status and literacy rates of the study area as well as analyze and interpret the disparity index of male-female literacy rates in different Census years in the study area. The study is mainly conducted with secondary databases and descriptive statistics. Besides statistical techniques, cartographic analysis and use of Geographical Information System are used for the better development and representation of the methodology of the present study. Sopher‟s Disparity Index (1974) modified by Kundu and Rao (1983) has been employed to calculate the disparity indices of male-female literacy rates. The conditions of literacy rates and educational status in the Community Development blocks of the study districts show spatio-temporally varying conditions in 2011 and 2001 as well as the total disparity of male-female literacy rate is high (>0.07680) in Krishnagar-II, Nabadwip, Krishnagat-I and Santipur; moderate (0.05570–0.07680) in Kaliganj, Nakashipara, Krishnaganj, Hanskhali, Ranaghat-I, Ranaghat-II, Chakdah and Haringhata and low (<0.05570) in Karimpur-I, Karimpur-II, Tehatta-I, Tehatta-II and Chapra. Overall the conditions of disparity of male-female literacy rates in the rural and urban areas of the blocks are in a decreasing way from 2001 to 2011. Finally the relationship of total disparity indices with the selected indicators of educational status show statistically not significant (p>0.05) conditions in the blocks of the study area. The study is concluded with highlighting the overall situations of the pre-mentioned conditions related with education and literacy in front of the policy makers for the better progress of the educational status and literacy rates in the blocks of the study district.