Correlation between Literacy Rate and Sex Ratio in Haryana: A Geographical Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Literacy refers to the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about the written word. "The ability of both read and writes a simple message with understanding in any language a sufficient basis for classifying a person as literate (Population commission of United States)". According to census of India "a person aged more than 6 years and who can both read and write with understanding in any language has taken as a literate (Census of India, 1981)". The census of India defines the literacy rate as a proportion of literates to total population in age group 7 years and above (Census of India, 1991). Literacy is essential for eradicating poverty and mental isolation for cultivating peaceful and friendly international relations and promoting the free play of demographic processes (Chandana, 2008). Sex ratio is the ratio of males to females in a population. It is measured by number of females per thousand males in India. In Russia, sex ratio is measured as number of males per thousand females. Sex ratio is an important social indicator to measure the extent of prevailing equity between males and females in a society at a given point of time (Mazumdar, 2013). It has much to do with the interplay of sex differential in mortality, sex selective migration, sex ratio at birth and at time the sex differential in abortion and in population enumeration (Mazumdar, 2013). It is also influence marital status, manpower, the gross national product, planning regarding educational and medical services; housing etc. as well as socio cultural factors together influences the overall demographic composition of population.

Haryana state is selected as a study area for research work. It is located between the 270 39' to 300 55' 05'' North Latitudes and 740 27' 08'' to 770 36' 05'' East Longitudes. Geographically it is one of the smallest states of India spread over 44212 km2 area and accounts 1.37 per cent of country‘s total area. According to 2011 census, Haryana has 25,351,462 populations. Haryana state shares a common capital Chandigarh, which is a union territory also. At present in 2011, state have 4 division, 21 districts, 57 sub divisions, 74 tehsils, 44 sub-tehsils and 119 blocks. The Haryana state has 154 towns and 6841 villages. Figure 1.1 shows the location of the Haryana state in India and administrative division of Haryana in 2011.

To fulfil the aim of this research, research intended to select some objectives as under are: • To examine the spatial pattern of literacy rate in Haryana. • To examine the spatial pattern of sex ratio in Haryana. • To study the correlation between spatial pattern of literacy and sex ratio.

This paper is based on the secondary sources of data. To fulfil the objectives data regarding literacy and sex ratio of Haryana is obtained from census of India, and Statistical abstract of Haryana. The collected data are tabulated and calculated to analyze the spatial pattern of literacy rate and sex ratio in Haryana. Arc GIS 10.2 software has been used as cartographic tool for preparing the thematic map to show the spatial pattern of sex ratio and literacy in Haryana. Spearman‘s rank order method is used for analysis the correlation between literacy and sex ratio. Spearman's Rank co-relation method such formula has been used: Where di2= R1 –R2 is the difference between ranks of two variables, and n is the total number of observations

Haryana as a whole has 877 number of females per thousand of males population in 2011. Although, the district level sex ratio varies from district to district ranges from 877 to 906. Total 21 districts of Haryana are categorized into five groups as under:

The districts which have the sex ratio above 895 are included into high category. High sex ratio was scored in the districts of Mewat (906), Fatehabad (903), Rewari (898) and Sirsa (896). High Sex Ratio (885 – 894) The districts which have the sex ratio ranges (885 – 894) are included into high category. High sex ratio was scored in the districts of Mahendragarh (894), Kurukshetra (889), and Karnal (886).

The districts which have the sex ratio ranges (872 – 884) are included into moderate category. Moderate sex ratio was scored in the districts of Bhawani (884), Ambala (882), Kaithal (880), and Yamunanagar (877) (See fig. 1.3).

The districts which have the sex ratio ranges (862 – 871) are included into low category. Low sex ratio was scored in the districts of Faridabad (871), Jind (870), Rohtak (868), and Hisar (871).

The districts which have the sex ratio ranges (853 – 861) are included into low category. Low sex ratio

The following are the reasons for low sex ratio in Haryana ► Neglect girl child ► High maternal mortality ► Sex selective ► Female Infanticide ► Immigration Spatial pattern of literacy rate In Haryana, average literacy rate is 76.64 per cent in 2011. But, figure 1.2 shows that as we analyse the districts level literacy differs from district to district.  Very high literacy rate - High literacy was scored in the districts of Gurgaon (84.44 per cent), Panchkula (83.44 per cent), Faridabad (83.04 per cent), Ambala (82.83 per cent), and Rewari (82.23 per cent). Due to high density of educational institutions, high urbanization, development of transport and communication and so on (fig. 1.2).  High literacy rate - The districts of Haryana, which have literacy rate between 77.47 to 80.83 per cent, are included in this category. Figure 1.2 shows that high literacy was scored in the districts of Sonipat (80.83 per cent), Jhajjar (80.83 per cent), Rohtak (80.37 per cent) and Yamunanagar (78.93 per cent) and mahendragarh (78.87 per cent).  Moderate literacy rate - Moderate literacy was scored in the districts of Panipat (77.46 per cent), Bhiwani (76.74 per cent), Kurukshetra (76.70 per cent), and Karnal (76.44 per cent).  Low literacy rate – Figure 1.2 reveals that low literacy was scored in the districts of Kaithal (70.56 per cent), Sirsa (70.56 per cent), Hisar (73.24 per cent), Jind (72.73 percent), Palwal (70.32) and Fatehabad (69.13).  Very low literacy rate – Mewat (56.14 per cent) is only one district of Haryana, which has very low literacy rate; because of muslim dominant society and low development of educational institutions by government and NGOs (fig. 1.2). The spearman‘s rank difference method has been used for the calculation of correlation between

The researcher found that a wide disparities in the literacy and sex ratio in Haryana in 2011. The highest literacy was found in Gurgaon district (84.44 per cent) and lowest literacy was in Mewat (56.14 per cent). The highest sex ratio is found in Mewat district (906) and lowest is in Gurgaon (853) and Panipat (853). But the correlation between literacy and sex ratio has been established high negative i.e. r= -0.52. It means which districts have high literacy rate represents low sex ratio.

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Student, Department of Geography, Rohtak kaushikmohan3048@gmail.com