1. INTRODUCTION: The development of a nation cannot only be assured through the technological and materialistic advances, but through the quality of life of the people live. Current framework of National Development recognises women a unique power unit and a potential resource and has played crucial role in social reforms economic development and also in the political process. Women make the most effective providers of healthcare, be it grandmothers mother, nurses non-formal teacher and mangers of the local environments As a wife and mother, she is the most influential member in determining the stability of her family and the development of her children's personality. Hence, the women's development is a pre requisite for all the round development of the society. In a package of developmental inputs available to community, education should form an effective means to improve the physical quality of life of the masses.

Many studies have shown that there is a strong correlation between several developmental indicators and level of literacy of the population. Correlation is particularly strong with the level of female education It is found that the relation between the age of marriage of a girl and her achievement in education is positive. On the other handy infant mortality rate, birth rate and total fertility rate are negatively correlated, The lower the educational level of the mother, the more number of children born to her, the greater are the risks of reproductive mortality/ morbidity. In to-days technological worlds Education-especially for women is much more important to slower population growth, Hence, progress in literacy is being considered as a component of progress in development. Government of India has devoted pointed attention to the objective of achieving the universal literacy since independence through the effective implementation of the Five Year Plans. Despite persistent efforts of the Government of India, illiteracy though declining in percentage continuos grow in absolute numbers. The World Bank has estimated that in 2000 A.D. there will be 500 million adult illiterates in India constituting 54,8 percent of world's illiterate population in the age group 15-19 years(Challenge of Education v 1985).

The Present paper analyses the secondary data on female literacy rates of 20 major states in India, enrolment pattern of girls at different levels of schooling, The analysis will help in identifying the areas where greater efforts are needed to improve the level of women's literacy in India,

2.0 LITERACY IN INDIA.0 Over the years. there has been a steady improvement in the literacy rates in India as shown in table, l. In 1951,, the first census after the country became independent, literacy rate was 16.7 percent. After 40 Years the 1991 census recorded a low literacy level of 43,3 percent: (with total population as base). This is the most depressing fact that inspite of the rise in percentage of literates from 1951 to 1991 the population of illiterates increased from 301 million to 474.4 million during the same period. This happened because the population increased from 361 million to 83606 million during the same period.

3.0. FEMALE-LITERACY IN INDIA: Table.2. presents data on the female population literates and illiterates among female population by their residence. It is seen that the absolute number of female illiterates increased from 185*3 million in 1961 to 271.1 In 1991 and also the female population increased from 212. million in 1961 to 402.8 million In 1991.

Differentials prevail in literacy rates in rural and urban areas with the rural female population having lower rates than the urban female population. It is seen that literacy rate varied between 2504 percent for rural female and 54.5 percent for urban females in 1991. Nearly half of the total illiterates in India are rural females.

4.0. LITERACY DIFFERENTIALS-BY SEX: The literacy rates by states and for male and female population are given in table-3.

Of the 20 major states, 9 states have literacy rates for males and females that are higher than the national average for male and female in 19619 11 states in 1971. 12 states in 1981 and 14 0 states in 1991.

The literacy rate of females in comparison with male literacy rate for all the four census years and also for all the states has lower literacy rates. The national average for females for the year 1961 is 12.9 percent and for males, it is 34.4 percent. for 1971 , the rates are 18.7 percent, and. 39.5 percent respectively. For 1981, female has a rate of 24.8 percent, whereas the rate for males is 46.19 percent and for 1991 they are 32.7, percent and 53 .l percent respectively. In 1991, female literacy rate varied from 16.6 percent in Rajasthan to 75.3 percent in Kerala. The rates are very low for the larger states of Rajesthan(16,6), Bihar(18.7) Uttar Pradesh (21.1) and Madhya Pradesh (23.2). Kerala, for all the four census years has higher literacy rate.

The differential in male - female literacy is not showing any significant change at the national level. In fact, the differential of 21.5 percent point for India in 1961 declined to 20.8 percent in 1971 but increased to 22.1 percent in 1981 and declined to 20.4 percent in 1991, Among the 20 major states, Meghalaya, Maharastra, Tamilnadu Manipur Punjab West Bengal Kerala, the male- female differential in literacy rate has declined during 1961-1991. At the state level. differential in literacy rates of the two sexes varied between 11.1 percent and 29.2 percent point in 1961. 9*5 and 26.5 in 1971. 7.8 and 26.0 : In 1981 and 5. 7 and 27.6 in 1991. The differential in male-female . literacy rates is as high as 34.3 percent p6int in Rajesthan and lowest differential is seen in Meghalaya(6.1) and Kerala(5.7) in 1991.

5.0. FEMALE LITERACY DIFFERENTIALS BY RESIDENCE

Literacy rates also differed among the rural and urban populations. The table 4. provides the rural-urban female literacy differentials for the 20 major states. It is observed that out of 20 major states one state for rural females and 19 states for urban females in 1961 with literacy rates higher than the national average (24.0). In 1971,. one state for rural female and 19 states for urban females with literacy rates higher then the national average. 29.5 percent. In 1981. one for rural female and 19 for urban females with literacy rate higher than the national average 3602 percent. In 1991, one state for rural female and 19 states for urban females with literacy rates higher than the national average 43.3 percent.

In all the 20 major states the rural female literacy rare has always been below the urban female literacy rate as seen in table 4.

The differential in Rural-Urban female literacy is as high as 37.9 percent point in Himachal Pradesh in 1961. 4o.8 percent in Maghalaya in 1971. 39.5 percent in Tripura in 1981 and 33.7 percent in Tripura in 1991. The lowest rural - urban different is seen in Kerala 5,7' Percent in 1991. The differential in rural-urban female literacy is not showing any significant, -change at national level, In fact. the differential of 26.0 per point in India in 1961 increased to 28.9 in 1971 and also increased to 29.8 in 1981 and slowly decreased to 29,1 in 1991.

6.0. ENROLMENT OF GIRLS IN SCHOOLS., The rate of growth of enrolment of girls at different stages of education from 1950-51 to 1993-94 is given in Table.5. Girls enrolment in school has increased greatly consistently at all levels. At the primary stage, girls has increased nine-fold from 5,4 million in 1950-51 to 46.4 million in 1993-94. At the upper primary stage over. thirty fold from 0.5 million fn 1950-51 to 13,7 million in 1993-94 at the higher secondary level it increased from 0.2 mill to 8.1 million over the same period. A substantial increase in school enrolment at the higher level indicates improvement in girls education which is very significant for their all round development of status.

Not only girls enrolment has increased but also, the percent of girls in total enrolment has also improved at all stages. Between 1950-51 and 1992-93 the percentage of enrolment of girls rose from 28.1% to 42.9 % at the primary level, from 16.1% to 39.3% at upper primary level and from 14.3% to 34.6% at high/higher secondary stage.

Though school enrolment ratios have been rising, high rate of drop outs, particularly of girls, still continues to be a major Problem, The drop out rate of girls at primary and upper primary stage it higher than that of boys. A striking finding i* that for every 100 girls in class I in rural areas.. there are only 40 in class V, 18 in class VII, 9 in class IX and only one in class XII the corresponding figures for urban areas being 82,62,32 and 14.

7.0. CONCLUSION: Since Independence, determined efforts have been made towards the achievement of the Universal Literacy in India. Over the years there has been a very impressive increase in the number and spread of Institutions as well as enrolment of girls. But, the lowest amount of literacy of women is found in the Hindi-belt states of Rajesthan, Bihar, Madhyapreadesh and Uttar Pradesh. These states account for the majority of illiterate women in India.

The Problem of unbalanced development of female literacy in comparison with men and with women between different states. Region and social groups is not a very simple issue. These problems needs to be classified on the basis of age, sex. Class and caste because the problems at each category are different for women's literacy.

Enrolment and retention in schools are considered to day as crucial factors for a literate society. In the case of girls both initial enrolment as well as retention are major.

problems. In rural areas girls are kept busy at home in sibling and household care, in fetching fuels,, fodder and water or in earning a day's wage. Therefore the problem of education of women is not only access. uniform curriculum and provision of education facilities. but it is also a problem that is closely related with our tradition and socioeconomic structure of the society.

Thus, the Integrated Learning Programmes for women have to be universalised which will riot only emphasis on literacy but also on empowering women through awareness building on the necessity of educating girls, social issues. bring about attitudinal change, promoting skill training for employment. providing information on healthcare, nutrition b hygiene and small family norm, The growing availability of communication media should be directed towards Keeping up information flows and inculcating positive image of women in non-conventional roles,

Mass scale Adult education programme for women in the age group 15-35 years, Non- formal education for the age group 6-14 years and the formal school system- these three systems of education have to be integrated and co-ordinated to eradicate illiteracy among females. Continuing education centres should be strengths to provide training and for retention of literacy skills.

A national plan of action for the Girl child for 1991-2000 A.D has been drawn up by the Government. The plan recognises the rights of girl child to equal opportunity to be free from hunger illiteracy, ignorance and exploitation. SAARC declared 1990 as The Year of the Girl Child and 1991-2000 as the Decade of the Girl Child in order to increase public awareness for the value of the girl child, to ensure their participation in programmes of Child development, health, nutrition and education and to create a positive environment to allow girls to develop into productive young women.

The biggest challenge before the Government and NGO's is to create awareness and Sentization among people to all levels, specially in rural areas, about the special needs of women and girls, and that imparting education to women is a great service to society. as this vital section of society remainder deprived and neglected from the very past. There is a need for affirmative and real action in favour of women which will ensure the women to right to food, Shelter, Health, education and employment. The present scenario :is kindling hopes for future.

REFERENCES

1. Census of India. 1881: Primary census abstract, General Population. Part II(B) series 1 India.

2. Census of India, 1991: Provisional Population total, Series 1$ India.

3. Dept. of Education, 1988: Fifth A2Q India Educational Survey, NCERT, New Delhi.

4. Government of India, 1998,0 National perspective plan for women.1988-2000, Dept of women and child development MHRD, Delhi.

5. Government of India, 1992, National Policy of Education Programme of Action. New Delhi.

6. Government of India 1993, Educational for All, The Indianscene, Widening Horizons, Dept of Education DMD, Dec. 1993.

7. Mialini Karkal, 19911 Progress in literacy in India- A statistical analysis; The Indian Journal of Social work, Vol. II No.2. April.

8. NCERT 1993,, Universal Primary Education of Rural Girls in India,, New Delhi*

9. Prem Chand, 1992: Statistical Data base for Literacy. Vol. l. National Institute of Adult Education. New Delhi

TABLE 5

School Enrolment by Stages/Classes for boys and Girls (1951 - 1993) (in Million)

	Primary (I-V)			Middle (VI-VII)			High /Higher Secondary
Year	Boys	Girls	Total	Boys	Girls	Total	Boys	Girls	Total
1950-51	13.8	5.4 (88.1)	19. 2	2.6	0.5 (16.1)	3.1	1.3	0.8 (14.3)	1.5
1960-61	23.6	11.4 (32.6)	35.0	5.1	1.6 (23.6)	6.7	2.7	0.7 (18.2)	3.4
1970-71	35.7	21.3 (37.4)	37.0	9.5	3.9 (29.3)	13.3	4.9	1.7 (25.9)	6.6
1980-81	45.3	28.5 (38.6)	73.8	13.9	6.8 (32.9)	20.7	7.6	3.2 (29.4)	10.8
1990-91	58.1	41.0 (41.4)	99.1	20.9	12.4 (37.4)	33.3	14.0	6.9 (33.0)	20.9
1992-93P	60.5	44.9 (42.6)	105.4	23.7	15.0 (38.8)	38.7	15.0	7.7 (34.3)	22.7
1993-94P	61.8	46.4 (42.9)	108.2	24.2	15.7 (39.3)	39.9	15.3	8.1 (34.6)	23.4

Note: Figures in Parenthesis are Percentage of girls enrolment to total.
P: Proportional
Scale : Selected Educational Statistics for respective
Years, GOI, New Delhi

Table 1: Distribution of Population, Literates and Illiterates - 1951-1991

Year	Population (millions)	Literates (millions)	Illiterates (millions)	Literacy rate (Percentage)
1951	361.1	60.1	301.0	16.7
1961	439.2	105.5	333.7	24.0
1971	548.2	161.5	386.7	29.5
1981	665.3	241.0	424.3	36.2
1991*	836.6	362.2	474.4	43.3

* Exclude Jammu and Kashmir

Note: Literacy percentage have been calculated on the total, population inclusive of the population in age group 0 - 4 years (0 - 6 years 1991)

Contact Info:

Dr. N. Nagarajan
University of Madras