International Literacy Day 2025 | Digital Era and Education in India | UPSC Current Affairs

International Literacy Day 2025:Why International Literacy Day Matters

The entire world gets to celebrate International Literacy Day (ILD) on 8th September every year, originally proclaimed by UNESCO in 1966. It’s a reminder that literacy is not just reading and writing but a matter of giving people the tools they need to make their own way in life, work, and society.

For 2025, the theme is “Promoting Literacies in the Digital World.” Rather, the focus turns to how access to digital technologies and to online learning can help to bridge gaps in education —but also how the digital divide leads to new problems.

India’s Observance

Events were organized by the Ministry of Education throughout the country, featuring :

Digital Classrooms & e-Learning Platforms: The programme will support the expansion of efforts such as DIKSHA, SWAYAM and e-Pathshala etc.

Inclusive Access: Making sure tribal lands, rural schools and excluded communities have digital access.

Skill Building: The emphasis on digital literacy in addition to basic literacy to empower students for an increasingly technology-reliant future.

NEP 2020 Vision: Connecting literacy campaign to the target set by India to achieve the universal foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) by 2026-27 under the NIPUN Bharat Mission.

 The Current Literacy Landscape

India Literacy Rate (NSO 2022): 77.7%, still lower than the world average (86%).

Sex Ratio: 929 (females for every 1000 males) Literacy of males is 84.7% and literacy of females is 70.3%.

Digital Divide:  Internet penetration is low and only 37% is the rural population while it is at 70% among the urban section of the society  (India Internet Report (2023) .

This clearly indicates, if anything, that India’s improvement in conventional literacy is a separate matter and that digital literacy and equitable access are the actual issues.

 Why Digital Literacy Matters

21st Century Skills: Jobs, Governance & Communication: Students need digital fluency to hold productive jobs, participate in responsible governance and engage in constructive communication.

E-Governance & Welfare: Digital literacy is a gateway to schemes and services offered by the government and enables financial inclusion.

Bridging the Inequality Gap: The Poor Without digital access, the poor risk being left even further behind.

 Challenges Ahead

Disparities in the availability of devices, internet and electricity in rural regions.

Language barriers — most online content is in English versus most Indian people preferring regional languages.

Teachers who are well-trained in ed-tech tools.

 Way Forward

Extend BharatNet digital infrastructure to rural schools.

Popularise vernacular e-content and be in sync with NEP 2020.

Invest in teacher professional development for blended learning.

Partner with the private sector for low-cost ed-tech solutions.

 UPSC Relevance

Prelims (GS I): UNESCO, International Literacy Day, literacy figures, digital initiatives such as SWAYAM.

Mains (GS II – Social Justice, Education): Literacy challenges, digital tools and their role in mitigating educational inequality, objectives of NEP 2020.

 Conclusion

On International Literacy Day 2025, creating a digital age of literacy, literacy is more than reading and writing – it means digital empowerment. The mission for India is clear: universal literacy and to ensure that no child, especially in rural and tribal areas, is left out of the digital revolution.

PYQ 1: Literacy Gap – UPSC Prelims 2006

Question:
Consider the following statements:

1. According to  Census 2001, Kerala has the smallest gap in male and female literacy rates among the 28 states of India (Delhi and Pondicherry not included).

2. According to  Census 2001 , Rajasthan has a literacy rate above the national average literacy rate.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2

 Correct Answer: a) 1 only

Explanation:

• Kerala has historically led India in literacy, with a narrow gender gap compared to other states. Census 2001 confirmed that it had the smallest male-female literacy difference.

• Rajasthan, on  the other hand, was one of the lowest-performing states in literacy in 2001, well below the national average.

• Hence, only statement 1 is correct.

Relevance: This links to  International Literacy Day, as it shows how regional disparities matter in India’s literacy journey.

 PYQ 2:  Population & Literacy Link – UPSC Prelims 1999

Question:
The population growth rate in Kerala is the lowest among major Indian states. Which one of the following is the most widely accepted reason for this?

a) Kerala has made the highest investment in family planning.
b) Kerala has the highest literacy rate in India.
c) Kerala has invested heavily in promoting literacy and public health and placed high priority on social policies.
d) The population pyramid in Kerala has relatively fewer women in the reproductive age-group.

 Correct Answer:  c) Kerala has invested heavily in promoting literacy and public health and placed high priority on social policies.

Explanation:

• Kerala’s demographic transition is not just due to family planning, but because of its long-standing investment in social development—particularly female literacy, healthcare access, and community-level reforms.

• These factors led to low fertility rates and population growth, much earlier than in other states.

Relevance: This demonstrates the link between literacy, public health, and demographic change, which ties directly to the 2025 theme of “Promoting Literacy in the Digital Era.”