Top 10 Most Literate States of India

Providing education to all its citizen is the key to achieve better development and to create a stable living atmosphere. India is one of the top countries that have been showing notable progress in its literacy rate. Over the past few years, India has achieved a development that was unpredicted and has helped the nation to be one among the fastest developing nations in the world.

At the time of independence, the literacy rate of India was estimated to be just as low as 12% however, today, we could be proud that we have a literacy rate of 72%. Most of the people consider literacy rate of a nation to be something not so important but to those people who know well about the role of education in the development of a nation would disagree to anyone’s claim that education could bring personal gain only.

In fact, a high literacy rate would help the citizens of the nation to define the culture and the customs in the nations in an attractive, organized, and in a beautiful way. This, in turn, would eventually help in the overall development of the nation. As I mentioned above, India today has 72% literacy rate, this does not mean that all the states in India have the same literacy rate or high literacy rate, there are states in India with a literacy rate lower than 40%. Nevertheless, it is estimated that in the future the literacy rate could go up.

List of Most Educated States in India

Below mentioned is the list of 10 highest literacy rate states in India in the year 2018.

10. Andaman and Nicobar islands

• Overall average literacy – 86.27%
• Male literacy rate – 90.11%
• Female literacy rate – 81.84%

Andaman and Nicobar is one of the union territories of India and is the 28^th largest in terms of the area covered. As the name suggests the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a group of islands located in the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea. In the year 200,1 the recorded literacy rate was 4% lesser than what it has today. This simply means that the Andaman and Nicobar has been showing an increase in its literacy rate as the people are becoming more enthusiastic to gain knowledge and to educate themselves.

9. Delhi

• Overall average literacy – 86.34%
• Male literacy rate – 91.03%
• Female literacy rate – 80.93%

Another Union Territory of India in the list, this state is located near the state of Haryana and Uttar Pradesh on the other side. Delhi is ranked the 31^st in terms of area covered. However, there is a thing that you should know about this state, the literacy rate of this country was ranked 6^th a few years back. The literacy rate has gone down considerably due to few internal issues. However, the new state government is focusing in consistently increasing the literacy rate within 2020. One of the notable things about this state is that it is the 2^nd wealthiest state in India and is the home to 18 top billionaires of India.

8. Chandigarh

• Overall average literacy – 86.43%
• Male literacy rate –91.03%
• Female literacy rate – 81.38%

Unlike any other states or union territories of India, Chandigarh is a union territory and a capital of two neighboring states Punjab and Haryana. This union territory is ranked 34^th in terms of its size when compared to other states and union territories of India. Based on the literacy census that was recorded in the year 2001 this union territory had the 5t position in the list, however, according to the 2011 census it fell down to the 8^th position. Many experts comment that the literacy rate of Chandigarh would climb up to its previous position in the coming years.

7. Pondicherry

• Overall average literacy – 86.55%
• Male literacy rate – 92.12%
• Female literacy rate – 81.22%

Pondicherry also commonly referred to as Puducherry is a union territory of India. This union territory rank 33^rd in terms of the area covered and ranked 27^th in terms of GDP. Unlike all the above-mentioned state or union territory, this is one of the union territories that has shown consistent development and increment of literacy rate. Records indicate that this union territory has an increase in literacy rate by 5.31% than the literacy rate recorded in the previous year. This union territory also is also known to have a few of the best colleges in India.

6. Damam and Diu

• Overall average literacy – 87.07%
• Male literacy rate –91.48%
• Female literacy rate – 79.59%

Damam and Diu is the smallest federal division of India, as the name suggests Damam and Diu are two separate landmasses separated by the Gulf of Khambhat. Damam and Diu is a union territory and has the Arabian Sea and Gujarat as its border. This union territory rank 35^th in terms of area covered. Damam and Diu had a literacy rate of 79% in the year 2001, but, has made a drastic change and attained a literacy rate of 87% by 2011. One of the notable things about this union territory is that it is one of the only union territories that has shown such a drastic increase in literacy rate in past few years.

5. Goa

• Overall average literacy – 87.40%
• Male literacy rate – 92.81%
• Female literacy rate – 81.84%

Goa is one of the smallest states of India and ranks 29^th in terms of area covered. Based on the census of the 2001 Goa was 4^th in terms of literacy rate. However, according to the census taken in the year, 2011 Goa lost the 4^th position and came down to the 5^th position and that too because of few internal issues that affected the development of the country and the education system. Nevertheless, today, the literacy rate of Goa is rising exponentially and is now is at 87.40%. It is expected that the literacy rate would increase furthermore in the coming years.

4. Tripura

• Overall average literacy – 87.75%
• Male literacy rate – 92.18%
• Female literacy rate – 83.15%

Tripura is the 3^rd smallest state in India and is bordered by Bangladesh, Assam, and Mizoram. However, in terms of its literacy rate, it is the 4^th highest literate state in India. One of the notable things about this state is that in the year 2001 this state was in the 13^th position in terms of literacy rate. Nevertheless, within ten years, the state managed to climb up to the 4^th position, which simply means that the state managed to attain a 14.5% increase in their literacy rate within a 10-year period.

3. Mizoram

• Overall average literacy – 91.58%
• Male literacy rate – 93.72%
• Female literacy rate – 89.40%

Mizoram is one of the states of India with the highest tribal people concentration. This state shares its borders with 3 out of 7 sister states Tripura, Manipur, and Assam. This state also shares its border with the neighboring countries like Myanmar and Bangladesh. This state ranks 28^th in terms of area covered and 3^rd in terms of literacy rate. Before 2001 this state showed less improvement in its literacy rate, however, today the state has the 3^rd highest literacy rate in India.

2. Lakshadweep

• Overall average literacy – 92.28%
• Male literacy rate – 96.11%
• Female literacy rate – 88.25%

Lakshadweep in the year 2001 was in the 3^rd position in terms of literacy rate but has managed to increase their literacy rate to step up to the 2^nd position in 2011. One of the notable things about this union territory is that it has managed to acquire a 5.62% increase in literacy rate within a period of 10-years. This island group even though in terms of area covered holds the 36^th position has shown consistent improvement in their literacy rate for the past few years.

1. Kerala

• Overall average literacy – 93.91%
• Male literacy rate – 96.02%
• Female literacy rate – 91.98%

Kerala is often referred to as Gods own Country; this state has been in the 1^st position in terms of literacy for over a decade now. The state even though in its first position has acquired a 3% increases in literacy rate within the year 2001 to 2011. One of the notable things about this state is that the percentage of female literacy rate is comparatively higher than any other states in this list.

Conclusion

You now know the literacy rate of each state in India, in fact, even if the 10 states and union territory have a literacy rate higher than 86%, the overall literacy rate of India is just 74%. One of the main reasons for such a difference is because there are still few states that have their literacy level lower than 40%. It is estimated that in the coming years, the overall literacy rate of India would increase.