By Editor When it comes to finding the most uneducated states in India, people often refer to states with the lowest literacy rate. The literacy rate is the number calculated for people who are above the age of seven, able to read and write with understanding. The ability to read and write is a sign of human development as it affects jobs, health, and income.
India is a developing country, and many government schemes are promoting the right to education, offering free education to unprivileged people. Even though there are many things done by previous and the current government, the literacy rate is growing at a slow pace. To make the list of the top 10 most uneducated states in India, we will look at the latest state-wise estimates available from India’s periodic labour force survey, Wikipedia, news sources, and some other sources.
As the government hasn’t conducted the 2021 census, the ranking will be based on recent surveys. So, here is the list of Top 10 Most Uneducated States in India:
1. Andhra Pradesh – 27.4% Non-literate population
Andhra Pradesh is the state with the most uneducated population, marking the literacy rate at 72.6% as per the PLFS data. In the state of Andhra Pradesh, Urban regions have been doing better than the rural ones in the last couple of years. However, the literacy rate is still growing at a slow rate. In the current date, improving adult literacy and strengthening government school basics are the state’s main needs.
2. Bihar – 25.7% Non-literate population
Bihar is considered the most illiterate state due to many reasons, including education, employment rate, inequality, and corruption. With a literacy rate of 74.3%, Bihar marks the second position in our list. Even the wide gender gap in education makes Bihar backward. Girls’ education is taken as the first priority in this state to reduce the gap; thus, many programs to target girls’ schooling are introduced in the state. The government is working on teacher availability, safe transport, and many other parameters for the upliftment of locals.
3. Madhya Pradesh – 24.8% Non-literate population
Madhya Pradesh is making waves in the upliftment of locals and trying to promote education at every scale in the last two decades, yet the numbers reflect otherwise. The literacy rate in the state is 75.2% and it is steady even after such efforts. The major reason behind poor growth is the teacher shortage in the rural block, affecting the overall literacy rate and the cycle. For the betterment of Madhya Pradesh, strengthening foundational literacy under the National Education Policy will be crucial.
4. Rajasthan – 24.2% Non-literate population
Rajasthan literacy rate is improving over the years, with 75.8% people being educated in this state. The large gap between male and female literacy was the biggest issue around two decades ago, but after many government schemes, the gap has narrowed. Better school attendance in the desert and tribal areas is crucial to improving the literacy rate and helping the locals grow. The education rate directly affects the economy and employment of a state. Rajasthan is dealing with the highest unemployment rate, and educating the local people can help in many ways.
5. Jharkhand – 23.3% Non-literate population
Jharkhand has a literacy rate of 76.7% where many districts are on hills and the population is dispersed. The cost of accessing school becomes challenging in the state of Jharkhand. To combat such issues, the state government is working on schooling for remote blocks and residential schooling to promote education. There are targeted scholarships offered to improve the literacy rate.
6. Telangana – 23.1% Non-literate population
Telangana’s Total literacy rate is 76.9% where the urban centres and Hyderabad are doing better than the rural areas. Bridging the rural-urban region is possible with quality government schools, investing in adult literacy programmes for older citizens, and other ground-level work can lift the average. Promoting schooling at the state level with scholarships and free education till secondary education might show improved numbers.
7. Uttar Pradesh – 21.8% Non-Literate Population
Uttar Pradesh is India’s most populous state, with a literacy rate of 78.2% and even a small percentage change affects millions of people. Uttar Pradesh is showing improvement in the literacy ratio. There are many schemes working on the ground level. Meanwhile, improving pupil-teacher ratios, reducing dropouts in secondary schools, and uplifting girls’ education with scholarships have shown positive results, which other states can also take into consideration.
8. Chhattisgarh – 21.5% Non-Literate Population
Chhattisgarh is the ninth largest state in India, and it has a literacy rate of 78.5 percent with uneven coverage across tribal regions. The primary reason behind the difficulty is teacher vacancies in the challenging areas of Chhattisgarh. Naxalism is another reason that makes it difficult to provide education across the state. Steps are taken toward focusing on local language instructions in early grades, and the government is offering better transport to improve literacy.
9. Odisha – 21% Non-Literate Population
Odisha, famous for its ancient temples, has a literacy rate of 79.0 percent, very close to the national average but still inside the bottom ten. The state has rolled out strong disaster readiness and welfare schemes. Replicating that execution quality in school infrastructure and learning levels can move Odisha out of this list soon.
10. West Bengal – 17.4% Non-Literate Population
West Bengal rounds out the list at 82.6 percent. Urban Kolkata and nearby districts have high literacy, while some rural belts lag. There is also a small but real gender gap. Continued focus on teacher training and monitoring of learning outcomes will keep the curve moving upward.
Why Do these States Lag?
Many reasons make these states lag behind the rest in literacy rate. The primary reasons behind are historic barriers, Gender gap, Urban Divide, teacher shortage, and quality of education. Along with these reasons, corruption in education was also a reason that affected the overall growth of these states.
Final Words
India is moving forward on literacy, but the progress is uneven. Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and West Bengal are the ten states with the lowest literacy rates in the most recent survey.
The good news is that all of them have clear ways to improve. If states keep investing in teachers, focus on early grades, back girls with practical support, and bring adult learners into classrooms, the 2026 list can look very different. This is a goal worth chasing.