As per census 2011 West Bengal has a literacy rate of 77.08%. The literacy rate in Bengal has grown from 68.64% in 2001 to 77.08% in 2011. Purba Medinipur has the highest literacy rate of 87.66% in Bengal. Kolkata has a literacy rate of 87.14% followed by North 24 Pargans with 84.95% Haora with 83.85% and Hugli with 82.55%.
Uttar Dinajpur is the least literate district in West Bengal with 60.13% literacy rate. Malda has 62.71% and Purulia has 65.38% literacy Rate.
Literacy rate in Murshidabad has grown with 13.18% during the last decade, which is the highest growth in Bengal. Malda and Uttar Dinajpur also have a good improvement of above 12% at the same time. Districts with least increase in literacy rate are Kolkata, Haora, North 24 Parganas and Bardhaman . They have a increase of above 6% in last 10 years.
District wise Literacy rate in West Bengal 2001 - 2011 census
| Sl. No. | District | Literate in 2001 | Literate in 2011 | Literacy rate in 2001 | Literacy rate in 2011 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Bengal | 47196401 | 62614556 | 68.64 | 77.08 | 8.44 | |
| 1 | Purba Medinipur* | 3037106 | 3969750 | 80.16 | 87.66 | 7.50 |
| 2 | Kolkata | 3382103 | 3648210 | 80.86 | 87.14 | 6.28 |
| 3 | North Twenty Four Parganas | 6151527 | 7798722 | 78.07 | 84.95 | 6.89 |
| 4 | Haora | 2895625 | 3642617 | 77.01 | 83.85 | 6.84 |
| 5 | Hugli | 3333988 | 4140487 | 75.11 | 82.55 | 7.44 |
| 6 | Darjiling | 1008288 | 1328218 | 71.79 | 79.92 | 8.14 |
| 7 | Paschim Medinipur* | 3127210 | 4173522 | 70.41 | 79.04 | 8.63 |
| 8 | South Twenty Four Parganas | 4067343 | 5639112 | 69.45 | 78.57 | 9.12 |
| 9 | Barddhaman | 4205146 | 5350197 | 70.18 | 77.15 | 6.97 |
| 10 | Nadia | 2644461 | 3524073 | 66.14 | 75.58 | 9.45 |
| 11 | Koch Bihar | 1386965 | 1879984 | 66.30 | 75.49 | 9.19 |
| 12 | Dakshin Dinajpur | 799479 | 1102355 | 63.59 | 73.86 | 10.26 |
| 13 | Jalpaiguri | 1810083 | 2527018 | 62.85 | 73.79 | 10.94 |
| 14 | Bankura | 1734222 | 2264013 | 63.44 | 70.95 | 7.52 |
| 15 | Birbhum | 1553852 | 2175923 | 61.48 | 70.90 | 9.41 |
| 16 | Murshidabad | 2620538 | 4134584 | 54.35 | 67.53 | 13.18 |
| 17 | Puruliya | 1182284 | 1656940 | 55.57 | 65.38 | 9.81 |
| 18 | Maldah | 1332704 | 2136898 | 50.28 | 62.71 | 12.43 |
| 19 | Uttar Dinajpur | 923477 | 1521933 | 47.89 | 60.13 | 12.25 |
The State has 71.16% Women literacy rate. In this case Kolkata has the highest women literacy rate of 84.98% in the state. Purba Medinipur has 81.81% North 24 Parganas has 81.05% women literacy rate in Bengal. Purulia has the lowest women literacy rate of 51.29%. Uttar Dinajpur and Malda have a women literacy rate of 53.15% and 57.84 percent.
District wise Literacy rate by sex in West Bengal 2011 census
| Sl. No. | District | Male | Female | Total | Male Literacy rate | Female Literacy Rate | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Bengal | 34508159 | 28106397 | 62614556 | 82.67 | 71.16 | 77.08 | |
| 1 | Purba Medinipur* | 2178611 | 1791139 | 3969750 | 93.14 | 81.81 | 87.66 |
| 2 | Kolkata | 1966122 | 1682088 | 3648210 | 89.08 | 84.98 | 87.14 |
| 3 | North Twenty Four Parganas | 4174559 | 3624163 | 7798722 | 88.66 | 81.05 | 84.95 |
| 4 | Haora | 1972282 | 1670335 | 3642617 | 87.69 | 79.73 | 83.85 |
| 5 | Hugli | 2250780 | 1889707 | 4140487 | 87.93 | 76.95 | 82.55 |
| 6 | Darjiling | 723711 | 604507 | 1328218 | 85.94 | 73.74 | 79.92 |
| 7 | Paschim Medinipur* | 2333679 | 1839843 | 4173522 | 86.66 | 71.11 | 79.04 |
| 8 | South Twenty Four Parganas | 3120200 | 2518912 | 5639112 | 84.72 | 72.09 | 78.57 |
| 9 | Barddhaman | 2979074 | 2371123 | 5350197 | 83.44 | 70.47 | 77.15 |
| 10 | Nadia | 1906966 | 1617107 | 3524073 | 79.58 | 71.35 | 75.58 |
| 11 | Koch Bihar | 1045903 | 834081 | 1879984 | 81.52 | 69.08 | 75.49 |
| 12 | Dakshin Dinajpur | 607992 | 494363 | 1102355 | 79.63 | 67.81 | 73.86 |
| 13 | Jalpaiguri | 1412065 | 1114953 | 2527018 | 80.61 | 66.65 | 73.79 |
| 14 | Bankura | 1321794 | 942219 | 2264013 | 81.00 | 60.44 | 70.95 |
| 15 | Birbhum | 1214772 | 961151 | 2175923 | 77.42 | 64.07 | 70.90 |
| 16 | Murshidabad | 2223237 | 1911347 | 4134584 | 71.02 | 63.88 | 67.53 |
| 17 | Puruliya | 1021455 | 635485 | 1656940 | 78.85 | 51.29 | 65.38 |
| 18 | Maldah | 1182672 | 954226 | 2136898 | 67.27 | 57.84 | 62.71 |
| 19 | Uttar Dinajpur | 872285 | 649648 | 1521933 | 66.65 | 53.15 | 60.13 |
Good job done, but could you please provide data source based on.
Source of these data is official website of Census 2011 India.
Thank you for posting the data. We donot have 2011census with us and this work is extremely useful. Can you provide Blockwise literacy data for the district of South Twenty Four Parganas?
Thanks Rabin, I am a Block Coordinator of SBCC Project, Purulia. This Information is very helpful for me . Again Thanks. ………… Sanjit
Hey its awesome, first time i am visiting this site, and i found it well managed and contents are really helpful.. Nice work dude, you found your own way to cherish… keep it up. i gave my mail ID you can mail me as well.
thanx a lot. your work is a ready reference for me and all others who need to study about it.
I am now acting as District Inspector of Schools and this blog enriched me much in day to day work. Thank you Rabin …..I am grateful to you.
CAN YOU PLEASE PROVIDE STATISTICS REGARDING TRIBES IN WEST BENGAL? hOW FAR ARE THE TRIBALS — MALE AND FEMALE — BEHIND THE GENERAL POPULACE OF THE STATE?
Unfortunately I don’t have this data yet. Once I get them I will post here.
By the way there is no reason to write comments in ALL CAPS.
Hey guys,
your work is awesome.
and performance is splendid.
u h’v done a good job.
Best performers are Murshidabad, Malda and Uttar Dinajpur from 2001 to 2011. But they need to sustain this growth in this decade as well for an all inclusive development of Bengal.
I thought you have a no knowledge in District wise Literacy rate in West Bengal 2001 – 2011 census because in 2011 census the first Literacy district is Purba Medinipur (87.66%),Second is Kolkata(87.14%) & the third is North 24 PGNS(84.95%).
Position of the North 24 parganans is 3rd but you sit this district in 1st position.
Always give truth in website. I hope you stay in North 24 parganas so you you gave highest marks but always obey the truth. 24 pargana and kolkata never become 1 st. understand.
Sudip thank you for pointing out the mistake, there must be some error in sorting of databases when I published this. Anyway this is now fixed.
Your last statement is quite unfortunate, it was a mistake and that doesn’t mean I have any intention to give any wrong information on my site.
.
By the way I live in Durgapur and that is in Bardhaman district