All through the history, women have not been given their due in the society. They have been underfed, exploited and disrespected. All the social customs are so made that they weaken women’s position and keep her subdued and submissive. Unfortunately, our literacy drive seems to have been plagued by the same ill. The result is that the female literacy percentage is dismal. The rate is even horrible in the backward states.

If we took at other socio-economic indicators, we find that all the states where female literacy rate is low, are economically weak and socially backward. The various indicators like birth rate, infant mortality ratio and female mortality ratio are amongst the highest in backward states and female nutritional status, child’s education standards and child’s health all are very poor. On the other hand in the state like Kerala we find that higher level of female literacy has caused all round progress and development of the state. Not only this, female rights abuses are minimum in such states.

to be continued...