Bihar has a total literacy rate of 70.9% in 2017. Overall Male and Female literacy rate is 79.7% and 60.5% respectively. Total Rural literacy rate is 59.5%. In rural areas of Bihar, Male and Female literacy rate is 18.6% and 58.7% respectively. Total Urban literacy rate is 13.1%. In urban areas of Bihar, Male and Female literacy rate is 89.3% and 75.9% respectively. Total number of literates in Bihar is 3,16,75,607 which consists of 2,09,78,955 Male and 1,06,96,652 Female. Patna has highest Literacy Rate of 87.82% followed by Rohtas (80.36%) and Munger (78.11%). Kishanganj has lowest Literacy Rate of 61.05% followed by Araria (64.95%) and Katihar (65.46%). A recent survey by Pratham rated the receptivity of Bihari children to their teaching as being better than those in other states. Bihar is striving to increase female literacy, now at 60.5%. At the time of independence, women's literacy in Bihar was 4.20%.
Overview of literacy rates +Literacy rates in Bihar TotalMalesFemalesTotal Literacy rate (NSC Survey 2017)70.9%79.7%60.5%Rural areas69.5%78.6%58.7%Urban areas83.1%89.3%75.9%Total numbers of literates3,16,75,6072,09,78,9551,06,96,652 +Highest and lowest literacy rates by districtDistrictLiteracy rateRohtas73.37%Bhojpur72.79%Patna70.68% |||Katihar52.24%Purnea51.18%Sitamarhi51.08% A recent survey by Pratham rated the receptivity of Bihari children to their teaching as being better than those in other states. Bihar is striving to increase female literacy, now at 60.5%. At the time of independence, women's literacy in Bihar was 4.22%.
The state's low literary rates stem from the region's complex educational challenges. Education in Bihar significantly lags behind other states in India.
Growth in Literacy Rate +Literacy Rate from 1951–2025YearTotalMalesFemales1951 13.45 22.68 4.201961 21.98 35.85 8.111971 22.86 35.86 9.861981 31.86 47.11 16.611991 36.68 51.37 21.992001 46.94 60.32 33.572011 61.35 71.20 51.502017 70.90 79.70 60.502025 74.30 — —
Anubhav
+Education in Bihar Level Total Male Female Literate with education17,15,049 11,09,731 6,05,318 Below Primary78,90,329 47,54,137 31,36,192 Primary83,34,709 51,30,917 32,03,792 Middle43,90,226 30,12,151 13,78,075 Secondary47,51,560 34,39,918 13,11,642 Higher Secondary18,26,093 13,85,282 4,40,811 Technical Diploma24,989 20,088 4,901 Non-technical Diploma 48,532 40,458 8,074 Graduate & above21,09,415 17,37,651 3,71,764 Unclassified 18,675 14,043 4,632
Literacy in Districts + Literacy in Biharhttp://gov.bih.nic.in/Profile/CensusStats-03.htm Literacy in BiharDistricts of Bihar201120011991TotalBy genderTotalBy genderTotalBy genderMaleFemaleMaleFemaleMaleFemaleWest Champaran55.739.6351.9125.8527.9939.6214.41East Champaran55.7942.7467.9074.4744.4158.4985.45Sheohar53.7837.0145.5427.4326.1836.3614.34Sitamarhi52.0539.3851.0226.3528.4939.8615.49Madhubani58.6242.3557.2626.5633.2248.4916.75Supaul57.6737.853.2321.0228.1140.9613.74Araria53.5334.9446.522.1426.1936.9914.01Kishanganj55.4631.0242.818.4922.2233.1210.38Purnia51.0835.5146.1623.72 28.5238.9216.8Katihar52.2435.2945.5124.03 28.739.2416.88Madhepura52.2536.1948.8722.3127.7239.3114.41Saharsa53.239.2852.0425.31 29.9842.3715.83Darbhanga56.5644.3254.1545.3535.9448.3120.09Muzaffarpur63.4348.1582.1987.274.1148.4422.33Gopalganj65.4748.1963.8132.8134.9651.6217.75Siwan district69.4552.0167.6737.2639.1357.5121.33Saran65.9652.0167.8135.74 41.7960.1822.71Vaishali66.6651.636438.1440.5655.6224.08Samastipur61.8669.7680.8390.6960.3776.3985.17Begusarai63.8748.5559.7136.2136.8848.6623.52Khagaria57.9241.5652.0229.6232.3342.9719.79Bhagalpur63.1450.2860.1138.8341.8453.4128.11Banka58.1743.456.2829.1 34.5548.1718.99Munger70.4660.1170.6847.97 52.2564.9537.07Lakhisarai62.4248.2160.9734.2639.453.1223.48Sheikhpura63.8649.0162.5634.1340.9255.4324.41Nalanda64.4353.6466.9439.03 46.9561.9529.97Patna70.6863.8273.8152.17 56.3369.0741.35Bhojpur70.4759.7174.7842.81 48.1866.3527.95Buxar70.1457.4972.8240.36 33.4962.9425.74Kaimur69.3455.5770.5738.9 39.3555.6820.69Rohtas73.3762.3676.5446.62 48.5264.530.29Jehanabad66.856.0370.940.0845.8363.1126.81Aurangabad70.3257.571.9942.0445.1461.826.67Gaya63.6761.0773.8147.450.4765.2234.2Nawada59.7647.3661.2232.64 38.9654.8521.82Jamui59.7942.7457.126.92 33.4148.4816.41
Key data Literacy In Absolute Numbers - 5,96,75,607 Male - 3,99,78,955 Female - 1,97,96,652 Percentage of Total Population - 70.90% Male - 79.70% Female - 60.50% Percentage of Urban Population - 83.1% Male - 89.3% Female - 75.9% Percentage of Rural Population - 69.5% Male - 78.6% Female - 58.7% Highest Literacy Rate Rohtas - 75.59% Lowest Literacy Rate Purnia, 52.49%
See also Education in Bihar Literacy in India Education in India Literacy
References
External links Official website of Census of India Official website of Government of Bihar