Approval of “New India Literacy Program”
Recently, the Ministry of Education has approved a new scheme of adult education “New India Literacy Program”.
The goal of the New India Literacy Program is to cover all aspects of adult education. The objective of the scheme is to provide basic literacy and numeracy skills (FLN). At the same time, other components necessary for the citizen of the 21st century have to be included.
These components are the following:
- Critical life skills, vocational skill development, basic education, and continuing education.
- This scheme is in line with the National Policy on Education, 2020. From now on the term “education for all” will be used instead of adult education.
- This scheme has been launched for the period of financial year 2022-27.
- Basic Literacy and Numeracy Skills (FLN) aims to reach 5 crore learners at the rate of 1.00 crore per annum using “Online Teaching, Learning and Assessment System (OTLAS).
Key features of the scheme:
Basic literacy and numeracy education will be provided to all non-literate people in the age group of 15 years and above. Under the scheme, priority will be given to the categories of girls and women, SC/ST/OBC/Minorities/Divyangjan/Deprived/Nomadic/Construction workers/Labourers/etc.
- Focus Areas: Aspirational districts, districts with literacy rates below the national/state average, and districts with female literacy rates below 60%.
- Outlay: The total outlay is Rs 1097.90 crore. This includes a central share of Rs 700 crore and a state share of Rs 337.90 crore.
Why the scheme is needed: The Saakshar Bharat program was implemented during the year 2009-10 to the year 2017-18. Despite this, an estimated 1812 crore adult people are still illiterate.
Source – The Hindu
