Adult Literacy to Adult and Lifelong Learning - Status and Perspective

National Education Policy 2020 focuses on achieving universal foundational literacy and numeracy for all primary schools learners till grade 3 by 2025.It implies that the population of 7–9 age group by 2025 is likely to join the adult population of 15 years and above, as total literates in 2030. This paper presents status of literacy situation and its progress over the census years from 1981 to 2011 for adult population, by major age groups. An estimate of adult literacy situation in 2021 has been based on progression method of estimation from 2011 to 2021. Census data takes into account, the impact of literacy programmes as well. National literacy programmes have moved from literacy campaigns of NAEP (1978 onwards) to basic literacy, post literacy, continuing education of NLM (1988 onwards) along with functional literacy, equivalency programmes, vocational skills, quality of life programmes and Saakshar Bharat programme of 2009. However, besides contributing in terms of fundamental literacy, these programmes could not contribute much in terms of raising the level of literacy through equivalency efforts. Literacy rate of the youth population (age group 15–24) estimated at 92.6 percent in 2021 will take about 15 more years to reach universal literacy level. Literacy rate of adult population (age group 15 and over) is estimated at 75.5 percent in 2021 (with estimated 252 million illiterates). However, in particular age group 35 years and above with 200 million illiterates need special attention to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 4 by 2030. A decent proficiency is needed in literacy and numeracy, which is sufficient to participate in a society with added emphasis on needs of girls, women and other marginalized sections.