Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi

Udupi, Oct 12: Udupi district in coastal Karnataka is set to be officially declared fully literate, with the district-level announcement likely to be made on November 1, coinciding with Kannada Rajyotsava.

The Karnataka government has issued an order declaring Udupi a fully literate district after it achieved a literacy rate of 95%, meeting the threshold prescribed by the union government. Under the stipulated norms, a literacy rate of 95% is considered equivalent to 100% literacy for the purpose of the declaration.

The proposal to declare Udupi fully literate was submitted to the government by the Udupi Zilla Panchayat. After a detailed examination of the proposal at the government level, the order was issued, paving the way for the formal district-level announcement.

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In line with the union government’s guidelines, literacy programmes have been effectively implemented across all 155 grama panchayats, seven taluk panchayats and eight urban local bodies in the district. The district has also secured the necessary certifications confirming compliance with the prescribed standards for full literacy.

Since Udupi has a literacy rate exceeding 95%, the government has directed the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Zilla Panchayat to complete the process of declaring the district fully literate, subject to specified conditions and stipulations.

Five conditions laid down for the declaration

The government has outlined five key conditions that the Zilla Panchayat CEO must fulfil before formally declaring Udupi a fully literate district.

• Verification of literacy figures: The available literacy statistics from 2011, along with data on the progress of literacy programmes implemented since then, must be reviewed. The CEO must verify and confirm that the district’s literacy rate exceeds 95% before proceeding with the declaration.

• Choosing an appropriate date: After verification, a suitable date must be fixed for the formal declaration in consultation with the district in-charge minister. Important occasions, including national celebrations such as Independence Day and state festivities such as Kannada Rajyotsava, should be considered while selecting the date.

• Formal announcement at a public function: The district must be officially declared fully literate at a major public function on the scheduled date, in the presence of elected representatives, ministers, legislators and government officials.

• Documentation for other districts: The entire process must be documented and publicised to inspire and encourage other districts to follow a similar path towards achieving full literacy.

• Sustaining literacy efforts: Literacy initiatives must continue even after the declaration. Measures must be taken to educate those who remain illiterate, help newly literate individuals continue practising and strengthening their reading and writing skills, and provide literacy education to illiterate people migrating into the district.

The government’s order thus sets out both the requirements for the formal declaration and the need to sustain literacy efforts beyond the milestone, ensuring that those who have yet to acquire literacy are not left behind.