Over 5 lakh people write literacy test across Tamil Nadu

Over 5.9 lakh adults in Tamil Nadu took a basic literacy test, part of the New India Literacy Programme.

Adult learners who took a literacy test on Sunday found the paper to be moderately difficult. Over 5.9 lakh learners took the basic literacy test, which was conducted by the Tamil Nadu School Education Department under the New India Literacy Programme (NILP) or Puthiya Bharatha Ezhutharivu Thittam 2022-2027.

Illiterate adults were identified by the State government earlier this year through a survey and enrolled in 30,113 centres across the State. “They were taught basic writing and reading in Tamil language. They were also taught life skills, including how to operate an ATM and check book filing,” said an official from the School Education Department.

This year, the department conducted the exam in March and November, so people could take the test at their own convenience. This was also to help those who could not attend classes regularly and slow learners.

In Chennai, 13,465 people wrote the test at 632 centres. Those who clear the test would be given a certificate. “I have been attending classes regularly since they began in August. I find it slightly difficult to read full sentences but otherwise the paper was easy to navigate,” said S. Gayathri, 30. She had moved to Chennai from Karnataka after her marriage.

“I had studied only till Class II. I want to be able to identify the buses by reading the signs on my own, and most importantly to help my daughter in her studies. I will continue to attend classes as I plan to get better at Tamil,” she added.

Some centres also had the option for parents to attend classes during lunch hours and not just in the evening, when they are usually held. “Most of the parents are daily wage labourers, so we left it up to their convenience. In the three years the classes have been going on, awareness on the initiative among people has risen. We have over 50 people attending the classes,” said B. Gunaselvi, principal of the Chennai Primary School in Aminjikarai.