Literacy has been a priority for the leaders of India since before Independence. Since the independence of the country in 1947, eradication of illiteracy has been a major concern of the national Government. The nation's constitution includes specific articles and amendments to guarantee the advancement of education. During the country's first Five…

The study of the Functional Literacy Program in India encountered problems of opposition to evaluation, inappropriate respondents, and difficulties in contacting participants, which point to changes that should be made in the evaluation methods. (SK)

Discusses some areas which require the immediate attention of research in adult education, including policymaking and program planning, teaching methods, training needs of staff, evaluation, attitudes, motivation, production of teaching material, administration and organization, adult literacy, and functional literacy. (TA)

There is a marked shift of emphasis from the traditional 3-R's concept of literacy to the new 3-F's Program of functional literacy, food production, and family planning. These experiences evidently establish that "built-in" motivation (economic, social, cultural, or religious) is perhaps the only answer to any literacy training program.…

Voices concern for growing number of illiterate adults in world and quality and limitation of reading materials available to those who do acquire reading skills. (DS)

Specific suggestions on improving adult literacy programs, based on the author's observations in India. (SP)

This report analyzes the initial results of UNESCO's Experimental World Literacy Programme and makes recommendations for future action. The meaning of functional literacy is discussed, and pilot projects in twelve countries are briefly described. The analysis reveals that the programme has fallen seriously behind schedule, that the number of adult…

High iteracy rates are found in the urban areas because it is difficult to live there without being literate, while the need to be literate is not so greatly felt in the rural areas. (PT)

The Functional Literacy Project of India was initiated in 1967 as part of a joint program, involving several Indian government ministries and United Nations agencies, to train some five million farm families in both literacy and modern agricultural skills at the same time. This report first describes the beginnings of the project and its…

Explores the place of education in Indian society and recent outreach programs in preliteracy and adult literacy. Looks at traditions both before and after the formation of the Republic of India, reviews two programs for encouraging literacy, and identifies future challenges for Indian education. (DLH)

The Farmers' Functional Literacy Program has been conducted in conjunction with an intensive agricultural development program in the villages of India since 1968. A recent innovation of significance to developing countries, the program incorporates the concept of linking education to development. This joint venture of three governmental ministries…

Using practical problems faced by farmers developing new agricultural methods, a problem-oriented approach to adult functional literacy was developed and tested in the Jaipur district. The booklet explains the first two of the project's five phases: exploration, syllabus and curriculum construction, materials preparation, action, and evaluation.…