Literacy Rate by Sex in Jharkhand, 2011

INTRODUCTION

Literacy refers to the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about the written word. "The ability of both reads 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 the 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 the 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).

Jharkhand came into existence on 15 November 2000; it was bifurcated from the southern part of Bihar; the state is generously endowed with mineral wealth. Besides minerals, Jharkhand is gifted with adequate water resources, relatively moderate climate and a very fertile land providing tremendous scope for horticulture and floriculture. The state offers a large pool of trained manpower, good educational & technical institutions, research laboratories, favorable industrial climate, and a good rail, road & telecommunication network. Jharkhand is located in Eastern India and covers an area of 79,714 km2. It was carved out of Southern Bihar in 2000 to form a separate state. Jharkhand has 24 administrative districts. Ranchi is the state capital and an industrial city. Jamshedpur, Dhanbad, Bokaro, Deoghar, and Hazaribagh are some of the other major cities and industrial areas in the state. Forests and woodlands occupy more than 29 per cent of the state, making it one among the states with greater forest cover. Jharkhand has around 40 per cent of the country‘s mineral resources such as coal, iron ore, copper, uranium, mica, bauxite, granite, limestone, silver, graphite, magnetite, and dolomite. Commonly spoken languages of the state are Hindi and Santhali. Urdu and Bengali are also prevalent. English is the primary medium of education.

• To study the pattern of literacy rate in Jharkhand.

• To analyze the change in literacy rate by sex in Jharkhand.

To achieve the objectives data regarding literacy and sex ratio of Jharkhand is obtained from the census of India, and the statistical abstract of Jharkhand, 2001 and 2011. The collected data are tabulated and calculated to establish the relationship in the spatial pattern of literacy rate in Jharkhand at districts level. Arc GIS 10.2 software has been used as a cartographic tool for preparing the thematic map to show the spatial pattern literacy in Jharkhand.

In Jharkhand, Pakur district has the lowest literacy rate that is 50.17 per cent. So, there are huge differences among the districts of Jharkhand varies from Ranchi 77.13 per cent to 50.17 per cent in Pakur. Total 24 districts of Jharkhand are categorized into five groups as under:

• Very high literacy rate – following districts of Jharkhand comes under very high literacy was scored in the districts of Ranchi (77.13 per cent), Purbi Singhbhum (76.15 per cent), Dhanbad (75.7 per cent), Ramgarh (73.92 per cent), Bokaro (73.48 per cent), and Hazaribagh (70.48 per cent).

• High literacy rate –Kodarma, Lohardaga, Simdega, and Gumla, are districts of Jharkhand, which have literacy rate between 66.35 to 70.48 per cent, are included in this category. Figure 1.1 shows that high literacy was scored in the districts of because of urbanization and industrial development.

• Moderate literacy rate –Palamu, Giridih, Khunti, and Jamtara have literacy range between 62.55 to 66.34 per cent are combined in moderate literacy.

• Low literacy rate –Dumka, Garhwa, Chatra, Latehar, and Godda have a low literacy rate. Figure 1.1 reveals that low literacy was scored. These districts are politically marginalized in Jharkhand. Very few educational institutions are established in the recent decade.

low literacy rate; because of the tribal dominant society and low development of educational institutions by government and (fig. 1.1).

It is significant to notice that literacy differential has been classified into three categories as the above state average, near average, and below average. Giridih (28.75), Jamtara (26.77), Deogarh (26.74), Kodarma (26.48), and Dumka (25.57) have come under above state average categories. As we, classified second class on the basis of value near to state average this category includes districts such as Palamu (22.4), Hazaribagh (21.90), and Khunti (21.62) (see fig. 1.3). Purbi Singhbum district has the lowest difference in literacy rate in Jharkhand while Giridih District has the largest disparities. Out of 24 districts, Simdega (16.46), Ranchi (17.43), Pakur (17.79), and Sahibganj (18.34).

Source: Compiled by the author based on Jharkhand Statistical Abstract, 2011

region while the plain area has low disparities. Those districts have low literacy rate have very high literacy differential in Jharkhand. Districts like Ranchi, Simdega, and Purbi Singhbhum have a low literacy rate. Giridih, Jamtara, Deoghar, and Kodarma have very high literacy differential rates in Jharkhand.

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Research Scholar, Department of Geography, M. D. University, Rohtak sonugeoinformatics@gmail.com