Celebrating Literacy Amid Claims And Doubts

New Delhi, Sep 7 (UNI) Amid claims of 65 per cent literacy and questions of what constitutes literacy, India gears up to celebrate International Literacy Day tomorrow by honouring eight contributors.

The national programme will be attended by volunteers and learners of Adult Education Programme, school children, senior government officials, diplomats and delegates of international and non-governmental organisations.

The function at Vigyan Bhavan will be presided over by Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh and graced by President Pratibha Devisingh Patil as chief guest.

A literacy documentary will be screened on the occasion and Patil presented several publications brought out by the National Literacy Mission.

A highlight of the event will be giving away of awards set up jointly by the Mission and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

It is given annually to universities, state resource centres and jan shikshan sansthans engaged in developing literacy and adult education materials, training modules and research.

It carries a citation and a Re 50,000 cash prize. Since its inception in 1998, it has been given to thirty winners, including three this year: -- Jan Shikshan Sansthan, Chandigarh, -- Jan Shikshan Sansthan, Nasik, and -- State Resource Centre, Deepayatan, Patna.

Another laurel, Satyen Maitra Literacy Award, instituted in 1996 to commemorate the eminent adult educationist and social reformer to recognize selfless service by volunteer teachers, preraks and other literacy functionaries, goes this year to: -- Dantewada of Chhattisgarh (For Total Literacy Campaign), -- Lohardaga of Jharkhand (For Post Literacy Programme), -- Uttara Kannada of Karnataka (For Continuing Education Programme), -- Kasargod of Kerala ( For Continuing Education Programme, and -- Chittorgarh of Rajasthan (Continuing Education Programme).

It has till date been won by 39 districts.

Awards will also be given away to winners of a national Photo Competition held to sensitise the public to the literacy issues.

More than 300 entries focusing on literacy for women empowerment, development, self-help groups, vocational education, national integration and social awareness, five of which were adjudged winners.

The awardees: First prize (Rs 25000), O P Soni; Second prize, (Rs 20000), Girish J Kingar; Third prize, (Rs 15000), Gopal Thapliyal; and two Consolation prizes (Rs 10000 each)Kailash Mittal and Manish Chauhan.

Performers from Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana will present a cultural programme choreographed by noted director Bansi Kaul.

Illiteracy as a problem was recognised early on but drew first global attention in September 1965 at the World Conference of Ministers of Education on the Eradication of Illiteracy at Teheran. September 8 has been observed as International Literacy Day ever since 1966.

Its objective is to mobilise collective consciousness for eradication of illiteracy.

Critics, however, question not just the data, but even the basis for it.

For instance, literacy has long been held to be an ''ability to read and write a simple letter.'' But critics say not only there is ''no progress'' in understanding or defining what it means to be lettered, but no tests are conducted by data collectors during surveys.

The entries are based on sheer assertions with no evaluation or any accounting for such factors as ''relapse into illiteracy''.

UNI