The literacy level in India is abysmally low (74%) for a
country that aspires to be a leader in world affairs and needs to be upgraded
with immediate effect for the country’s overall good. All the developed
countries of Europe and U.S.A. have a literacy level of 99% and the result is
but apparent, their enviable economic development. Even China has a 95%
literacy level which has careered it on to becoming the second largest economy
in the world. India most urgently needs to address this issue and with rapid
strides arrive at 100% literacy level if she is to overcome her manifold
problems of socio-economic development.
More than a century ago, Swami Vivekananda realized the
importance of education as the effective tool for India’s development and even before
him the significance of education was understood in its full sweep by Raja
Rammohan Roy. Thereafter, Vidyasagar, the Brahmo leaders such as Keshab Chandra
Sen, the Arya Samaj founder Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Sister Nivedita,
Rabindranath Tagore, Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee, Ramakrishna Mission, Tata Sons’
Trust and a host of other foundations and, of course, the Government of India
and the States have all made significant contributions to spread education in
India and thanks to their untiring efforts today we have a solid base of
academic institutions all over India which is the nucleus of India’s wonderful
developmental programme. But we may not rest on laurels while other nations go
past us in many a field on the basis of a higher literacy rate. Time it is
therefore to set our records straight and go full-swing to educate each and
every child of India, nay, even more, each and every living Indian. Come, join
the movement for 100% literacy for our Motherland.
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