India's literacy rate rises to 80.9%, but stark gaps persist

India has made measurable strides in literacy, with the overall rate touching 80.9% according to the latest data from the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023–24. But behind the headline figure lie sharp inequalities—between men and women, rural and urban populations, and across states—raising urgent questions about the inclusivity and equity of the country’s educational progress.

While overall literacy is improving, the gender gap remains significant. Male literacy stands at 84.7%, compared to 77.2% for females, reflecting a 7.5 percentage point difference. The urban-rural divide is equally marked, with urban India showing a literacy rate of 87.7%, far ahead of rural India at 76.5%.

Among the states, smaller and Northeastern states have outperformed larger ones. Mizoram tops the chart with an impressive 98.1% literacy rate, followed by Kerala (96.7%) and Tripura (95.8%). On the other end of the spectrum, Bihar lags behind at 73.2%, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand.

The PLFS also reveals that scheduled tribes (STs) and scheduled castes (SCs) continue to trail the national average, pointing to ongoing systemic barriers to education. STs reported a literacy rate of 71.3%, while SCs stood at 75.2%.

Despite progress, experts stress the need for targeted interventions. Factors such as poverty, lack of access to quality schooling, early marriage, and entrenched social norms continue to hinder literacy growth among marginalised communities, especially girls and women in rural areas.

The government has welcomed the overall progress but acknowledged that inclusive growth in literacy requires sustained policy focus. Improving infrastructure, ensuring teacher availability, and addressing dropout rates remain key to closing the literacy gap across India’s diverse regions.