Eleventh Five Year Plan

Education 134:1 for tribal districts. During the Tenth Plan period,the total number of districts under TLC and PLP were95 and 174, respectively. Special project undertakenthrough these agencies are:Accelerated Female Literacy Programme1.1.67 As per 2001 census, 47 districts had a femaleliteracy rate below 30%. These districts are concentratedin UP, Bihar, Orissa, and Jharkhand. Specialinnovative programmes were taken up in identifieddistricts for improvement of female literacy.Projects for Residual Illiteracy1.1.68 In many cases despite the completion of theTLC campaigns, a large number of illiterates remainedunreached. Projects for Residual Illiteracy werelaunched after the conclusion of TLCs for covering theremaining illiterates in districts of Rajasthan (10),Andhra Pradesh (8), Bihar (4), Jharkhand (3), MP (9),Karnataka (2), UP (13), and WB (4).Special Literacy Drive in 150 Districts1.1.69 A special literacy drive was launched in 150districts in April 2005, which had the lowest literacyrates in the country. These districts are mainly in UP,Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh, andOrissa. The special drive aimed to cover nearly 36million illiterates during 2005–07. So far, 134 districtshave been completed.Continuing Education Programme (CEP)1.1.70 The Continuing Education Scheme provides alearning continuum to the efforts made by TLC/PLP.The main thrust is on providing further learningopportunities to neo-literates by setting up ContinuingEducation Centres that provide area-specificand need-based opportunities for basic literacy,upgradation of literacy skills, pursuit of alternativeeducational programmes, vocational skills, and promotionof social and occupational development. Thetotal number of districts covered under CEP is 328.Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS)1.1.71 The objective of JSS Scheme is educational,vocational, and occupational development of socioeconomicallybackward and educationally disadvantagedgroups of urban/rural population, particularlyneo-literates, semi-literates, SCs, STs, women and girls,slum dwellers, migrant workers, etc. By linking literacywith vocational training, JSSs seek to improve the qualityof life of the beneficiaries. JSSs offered around 284different types of vocational courses—from candle andagarbatti making to computer training and hospital/health care. The total number of JSSs is 198.Major Weaknesses in AdultEducation Programmes1.1.72 The constraints in the implementation of adulteducation programmes include inadequate participationof the State Governments, low motivation andtraining of voluntary teachers, lack of convergence ofprogrammes under CEP, and weak management andsupervision structure for implementation for NLM.Besides, the funding for various components of NLMschemes was also inadequate and the level of communityparticipation was low.ADULT EDUCATION AND LITERACY: GOALS,TARGETS, AND STRATEGIES FOR THEELEVENTH PLANAdult Education1.1.73 The NLM programmes will be revamped in theEleventh Plan. The targets and special focus areas aregiven in Box 1.1.3 below.Box 1.1.3Eleventh Plan Targets and Special Focus AreasEleventh Plan Targets• Achieve 80% literacyrate,• Reduce gender gap inliteracy to 10%,• Reduce regional, social,and gender disparities,• Extend coverage ofNLM programmes to35+ age groupSpecial Focus Areas• A special focus on SCs,STs, minorities, and ruralwomen.• Focus also on low literacyStates, tribal areas, otherdisadvantaged groupsand adolescents.Revamped Strategy of NLM in Eleventh Plan1.1.74 The main features of the revamped NLMwill be:• Integrating Zilla Saksharata Samitis with the PRIs.