Tripura claims to achieve first position in literacy

, Sept 8: The government of

on Sunday announced that the state has achieved first position in

in the country with 94.65 per cent literacy rate, which is even higher than Kerala. The literacy rate in Kerala is 93.91 per cent, according to census data of 2011.

"It is a remarkable day for our state because Tripura today secured the first position in the country in literacy. It had secured 12th position in the 2001 census and elevated to the fourth position in the 2011 census, but has grabbed first position now," Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said at a function on the occasion of International Literacy Day.

The official recognition could come only in 2021, after the next census

When it was noticed that Tripura managed 87.75 per cent literacy in 2011 census, the government conducted a survey in all the eight districts last year which found that only 1,31,634 people in the state were illiterate, he said, adding that a special drive was made to convert those people literate. The State Literacy Mission undertook the task of making those people literate, the chief minister added.

However, a government official said, "We have to wait till the next census (2021) to get official recognition, because the central government only goes by the record of the census report."

PTI