31 Crore Illiterates : A Slap on the face of Digital India Campaign

Digital India (DI) campaign by the present government of India is an illustrative initiative to promote citizen empowerment and thus fuel rapid economic growth. Government website www.mygov.in further elucidates that DI has a vision to empower every citizen with access to digital services, knowledge and information.

In context of DI, we can categorise people of India into categories. People having smart gadgets like smartphone or laptop or PC shall form first category. Second category will be of those who are literate but cannot afford a smart gadget. Persons who can neither write their name nor can afford a smart gadget will form third category. 

But the question arises that DI will empower whom?     

While category one people can easily get any info through newspapers, online feeds and by surfing webs, category two people will hardly be impacted by DI. And what to say of category three people, they don’t know even to read or write their own name. How is DI going to impact them? How can any awareness be brought out in those persons who cannot read even a letter printed on the suit of our hon’ble PM which fetched 4.31 crores?

India that is Bharat – Corepati of Illiterates

Category three (illiterates with no smart gadgets) comprises of 31 crores of people as per 2011 survey. As per report published in The Hindu on 30^th June 2014, India has 28.7 cores of illiterate adult population, being the largest illiterate population. We are CROREPATI OF ILLITERATES. But, irony of the situation is that, our government does not feel any need to think over this issue. Nowhere, I see any concerns over illiteracy.  

A long journey – From “Sabhyata ka jagadguru” to “country of illiterates”

We have travelled a long path – from the position of being called as “Sabhyata ka jagadguru” (teacher of civilization) to country of illiterates. We have great treasure books on astronomy, mathematics and philosophy. In case of philosophy, we were masters and we are one till now. Our books in philosophy comprise of 4 Vedas, 18 Mahapuranas, 108 Upanishads, 19 Brahmanas, Mahabharata, Bhagwadgita, Tripitaka, bundles of Jain and Budhist texts and many mores to count. One may not be able to read the whole collection in his/her lifetime. And most these were written at the time when people living in USA and Europe used to walk naked in jungles for food and shelter and had no idea of what the clothes are for.  

Are we continuing this 'glorious' journey?

There is no any single reason behind start of this journey. Period of journey may be called as “the Dark Age” for India. But the fact to regret is that we are still in the Dark Ages. Still, the program for literacy is not being taken on the mission mode.   ‘

Digital India at this stage will lead to digitally divided India. India can not afford to compromise with illiteracy. While we campaign for DI and while we move on with Make In India, the illiteracy eradication must be carried on. Last sincere efforts were taken by Rajiv Gandhi govt. in 1988. After that Narsimha Rao govt. started Mid Day Meal program. It was a milestone but did not yield the desired result. Then after, right to education was made fundamental right in 2006. But the present government does not seem to be concerned for this. 

What can be done and what should be and why?

The rationale behind literacy program to be conducted on emergency mode is that more than 31 crores of illiterate people of India will be benefitted from DI as well the hundreds of programs already being taken by govt. including those of poverty alleviation. Policy makers and guards of national development have failed to realise that 31 crores of people cannot even write their name then how can they get any benefit from any of the program of GOI. What awareness can they get from DI or any other plan?

Unless 100 % literacy is not achieved, policies will get strangled into paralysis of implementation. None of the policies can be implemented to the grassroot level unless, cent percent literacy is achieved. No empowerment of people is possible without literacy. Slogans of women empowerment, backward class empowerment and empowerment of the downtrodden will prove to be epic failure. Otherwise policies and schemes of the government will continue to be a mockery on the face of poor people.     

The literacy mission should be taken in PPP mode on a mission mode. NGOs like Teach for India can be taken help of. Three months of programme is enough to make someone able to read and write their name and read the newspaper in their vernacular language. We engage a lot of government staff during elections for 2-3 months. In similar way, we can engage them to promote literacy.

When people will become literate enough to read newspapers or mobile feeds then only the DI success can be achieved. Hence, cent percent literacy achievement should be top priority to reap the benefits of new program and before launching any program.