Odishatv Bureau

Jaipur: Union Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Prakash Javadekar, on Saturday, claimed that India would achieve 100 per cent literacy rate within the next five years against the present 80 per cent.

Speaking at the ‘Festival of Education’ organised by the Rajasthan government here, Javadekar said, “There was a literacy rate of 18% in the post independence era. Today it has gone up to 80% and I guarantee that within next five years, it will be 100%. There will be no illiteracy in the country.”

“Students from class 6 to 12 are being trained to be able to pass on their knowledge to their parents, grandparents and others in the family who have been deprived of it. The child becomes a guru to them,” the HRD minister said, adding, “that is how we can completely eradicate illiteracy from the country”.

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Ability to read and write only doesn’t define education, but the knowledge one gain with time is education in real terms. Besides, employment is not just the priority of the government while improving the quality of education in the country, rather nurturing good human being is the very purpose of education, added Javadekar.

The Union Minister further said that in five years there would be a healthy competition between private and government schools.

The two-day festival at the Jaipur Exhibition and Convocation Centre was concluded on Saturday.

With IANS Inputs
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