Even though India has made rapid and significant strides to reduce illiteracy, the fact that at least 30 million Indians still cannot read and write at the beginning of the twenty-first century is a matter of considerable concern and has engendered many efforts to tackle it. One of the more innovative campaigns to eradicate illiteracy was the nationwide Total Literacy Campaign launched in 1988. This important volume takes stock of the Total Literacy Campaign (TLC), assessing both its successes and failures in order to draw lessons for the future. Based on detailed first-hand evaluations of the TLC in six districts located in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Jharkhand and Rajasthan, it adopts a fresh approach using in-depth interviews and Focus Group discussions. The researchers discuss not only outcomes but also the processes and dynamics, both organisational and interpersonal, that either facilitated or hampered the teaching-learning situation. They take account of the differing social parameters and contextual factors in each of the districts studied to present richly textured accounts. The roles played by officials, volunteers, NGOs and the learners are also discussed, while giving voice to different perspectives including those of women and marginalised groups. The six field studies are preceded by the editor’s overview that assesses the findings of the field studies against the stated aims of the campaign. The last chapter reviews the nature of literacy campaigns and discusses various pertinent issues and problems which can help to improve the design and content of any literacy campaign. With its practical orientation and numerous insights, this book will be of immense value to activists, scholars and policy makers involved with combating illiteracy. It will also be of interest to those studying education, educational psychology, and the sociology of education.
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