Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi

Udupi, Feb 23: The preliminary process to declare Udupi as the state’s first fully literate district has commenced, with officials finalising the necessary documentation. The district is set to be officially declared fully literate at the earliest.

Under the state government’s Thousand Gram Panchayat Literacy Scheme, 15 gram panchayats in the district were selected and literacy training was imparted to illiterate individuals. The examinations under the programme have also been completed. Similarly, under the Zilla Panchayat’s Link Document programme, four gram panchayats in Byndoor taluk were selected, literacy training was conducted for illiterate persons there, and examinations were held.

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Over the past three years, a total of 6,158 neo-literates have emerged in the district through these initiatives, and the literacy rate has risen to 95 per cent.

Udupi district has achieved 95 per cent literacy and the remaining 5 per cent is expected to be completed in the coming days. Districts that achieve 95 per cent literacy are declared fully literate districts. In this regard, appreciation letters have already been distributed to trainers who imparted literacy to illiterate persons. Certificates have also been issued to all neo-literates who successfully completed the literacy programme.

Officials cannot directly declare a district as fully literate. There are specific rules governing the process, and the required documentation must be submitted accordingly. Literacy training for illiterate persons has now been completed, and all those who underwent training have become neo-literates.

In this context, the adult education department is obtaining confirmation certificates from the concerned gram panchayats and their PDOs. Without certification from the gram panchayat or PDO, the declaration is not possible. The gram panchayat/PDO confirmation certificates will be submitted to the taluk panchayat executive officers (EOs) through the block education officers. The EOs will verify and forward them to the zilla panchayat CEO. After scrutiny of all documents at that level, the proposal will be submitted to the state government. The final declaration of full literacy will be made either by the state or at the level of the ZP CEO.

All procedures are expected to be completed and the declaration of Udupi district as fully literate is likely to take place by the end of February, an official said.

In the last three years, 3,937 illiterate persons were made literate under the Thousand Gram Panchayat Literacy Programme, 46 under the Zilla Panchayat Link Document Programme, and 2,083 under the Neo-Literacy Programme. After 200 hours of learning (three months), a 150-mark examination (50 marks each for reading, writing and learning) was conducted.

The certificate issued to neo-literates is equivalent to passing class 7, informed Udupi district adult education officer Yog Narasimha Swami K M.