Archive · 3 Jun 2025
India's Literacy: Achievements Mask Gender, Regional Disparities
India's literacy rate is about 81%, which means most people can read and write.
However, there's a big difference between city and country areas, with cities doing much better.
Also, more men can read and write than women, especially in certain states.
Some places, like Mizoram, have very high literacy, showing what's possible.
But in other areas, things like early marriage and lack of schools for girls make it hard for everyone to get a good education.
The goal is for all, including girls, to have the chance to learn and succeed.
India's literacy rate is 80.9% for those aged 7 and above, according to PLFS 2023-24 data.
Mizoram has the highest literacy rate at 98.2%, while Andhra Pradesh has the lowest at 72.6%.
Urban areas have a significantly higher literacy rate than rural areas (88.9% vs 77.5%).
The national gender gap in literacy is 12.6 percentage points, with men more literate than women.
States like Rajasthan show a considerable gender gap, with a difference of 20.1% between male and female literacy.
- Who
- Adults aged seven and above in India.
- What
- Literacy rates, highlighting gender and regional disparities.
- When
- Based on the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24 data.
- Where
- Across India, with specific data from various states and Union Territories.
- Why
- To understand and analyze literacy levels across India.
- Overall Literacy Rate
- 80.9% (age 7+)
- Highest Literacy (Mizoram)
- 98.2%
- Lowest Literacy (Andhra Pradesh)
- 72.6%
- Urban Literacy Rate
- 88.9%
- Rural Literacy Rate
- 77.5%
- National Gender Literacy Gap
- 12.6 percentage points
- Rajasthan Gender Gap
- 20.1%
Sources
India clears literacy exam with 80.9%, but gender & urban-rural gaps remain
Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Delhi lead in adult literacy, shows test data so far