Meaning of Illiteracy
In human society, an illiterate person is called illiterate. This means that the person does not know letters and the saying ‘Kala Akshar Bhains Barabar‘ is true for him. An illiterate person may have normal worldly intelligence but is deprived of bookish knowledge. Such people are not able to develop their personalities properly. They can also not contribute properly to social and national development. Therefore, illiteracy is called a curse.
Adverse effects of illiteracy
During the period of slavery, there was a complete lack of educational facilities in our country. Due to illiteracy, there was Much-bonded labor, landlord exploitation, economic inequality, superstitions, and customs at that time. After independence, many literacy programs were started. In our country, illiteracy is more common in rural areas. The percentage of illiteracy is higher among women, scheduled castes, tribes, and Girijans. About 30% of the people in Rajasthan are illiterate and many adverse effects of this illiteracy are visible.
Illiteracy and its eradication campaign
In the census conducted in 1951 after independence, only about 18% of the population was literate. Thus, the literacy rate in India at that time was very low. Due to this, efforts were made at the government level to eradicate illiteracy. With this view, educational institutions were expanded and a policy of adult education was declared at the national level.
Under this policy, unemployed educated youth in villages were engaged in a literacy campaign at the panchayat level and the literacy campaign was taken forward with the help of the social welfare department. Now various voluntary organizations are opening schools in backward rural areas and the target has been set to make boys and girls between 8 to 15 years literate. At present, there are a lot of hopes for achieving the goal of literacy through the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.
Suggestions for prevention of illiteracy
The stigma of illiteracy can be removed from our country only when primary education is made compulsory in the entire country and keeping children uneducated is considered a legal crime. For this, schools and colleges should be opened everywhere and all kinds of facilities should be made available to the children of the poor. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan being run at the national level should be made more effective and for this, all means of communication and television should be fully used.
Conclusion of the Essay on Illiteracy is a Curse
Illiteracy is a symbol of ignorance and darkness in the society. A society and nation which is free from illiterate citizens, in which there is no illiteracy and the light of knowledge is spread everywhere, that society and nation is considered advanced in every respect. Illiteracy is a stigma in human society, it is a curse for humanity. Freedom from this curse is necessary and this task can be done only with the light of literacy.