Andhra Pradesh has achieved a remarkable feat by becoming the most literate state in India, according to the latest survey by the National Statistical Office (NSO). The state has recorded a literacy rate of 88.7%, which is higher than Kerala’s 86.6%, the previous leader in this indicator.
The NSO survey, conducted in 2023, covered 6.4 lakh households across the country and assessed the literacy status of persons aged seven years and above. The survey revealed that Andhra Pradesh has made significant progress in improving its literacy rate, which was 67% in the 2011 census and 66.4% in the 2017 NSO survey.
The state government attributed this achievement to various initiatives taken in the education sector, such as providing free textbooks, uniforms, bicycles, laptops, and scholarships to students, enhancing the quality of teaching and learning, strengthening the infrastructure and facilities in schools and colleges, and promoting digital and online education.
The state also focused on reducing the gender gap and the rural-urban disparity in literacy, by implementing schemes such as Amma Vodi, Nadu-Nedu, Vidya Kanuka, Jagananna Gorumudda, and Jagananna Vidya Deevena. These schemes aimed at empowering women and girls, improving the learning outcomes of students, ensuring the nutritional and health status of children, and providing financial assistance to students pursuing higher education.
The state’s literacy rate of 88.7% is well above the national average of 77.7%, which shows that Andhra Pradesh is on the path of becoming a knowledge hub and a model state for the rest of the country. The state government expressed its commitment to further improve the literacy rate and the quality of education in the state, and to make Andhra Pradesh a global destination for education and innovation.
According to the latest survey by the National Statistical Office (NSO), the literacy rate of different states in India varies from 66.4% to 96.2%
These are the literacy rates of different states
Kerala: 96.2%
Delhi: 88.7%
Himachal Pradesh: 86.6%
Assam: 85.9%
Maharashtra: 84.8%
Punjab: 83.7%
Tamil Nadu: 82.9%
Gujarat: 82.4%
Bihar: 70.9%
Rajasthan: 69.7%
Uttar Pradesh: 73.0%
Andhra Pradesh: 66.4%