This 96-Year-Old Woman Scored 98 Per Cent In Kerala Exam
NEW DELHI: A 96-year-old woman has cleared a test under Kerala's literacy programme with flying colours, scoring 98 per cent marks. She was the oldest candidate to take the test under the programme, launched to eliminate illiteracy in the state that boasts of over 90 per cent literacy, the highest in the country.
Karthiyani Amma of the Alappuzha district scored 98 out of 100 marks in 'Aksharalaksham' literacy programme test of Kerala State Literacy Mission. In the exam, her reading, writing and basic mathematical skills were tested.
Approximately 42, 933 people cleared the test this year, taking the state closer to its aim of 100 per cent literacy.
On April 18, 1991, the state was declared fully literate, which means attaining 90 per cent literacy, as per UNESCO norms. Even though the state is the flag bearer of literacy in the country, around 18 lakh people remained illiterate, the 2011 Census revealed, prompting the state government to launch the "Aksharalaksham" programme on January 26 this year.
The motto of the program is to eradicate illiteracy among marginalised communities like tribals, fisher folks and slum-dwellers.
"Our motto is to eradicate illiteracy completely and achieve 100 per cent literacy in the state by all means," Literacy Mission director PS Sreekala had said before the programme was launched.
According to the 2011 census, the literacy rate of the state is 94 per cent which was 90.86 per cent in 2001.
Courtesy: www.ndtv.com
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Women's bill: This is democracy, not Hitler rule, says Dy CM Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Sunday criticised the BJP-led Centre over the timing and handling of the Women’s Reservation Amendment Bill, saying the opposition was not taken into confidence.
He also called for wider consultation in a democratic framework.
The deputy CM said the Congress has consistently supported women’s reservation, but objected to the manner in which the Bill was brought forward, alleging that it was introduced without adequate discussion with opposition parties.
“This is democracy; this is not a Hitler-style rule. They cannot bring it in the middle of elections and try to alter the entire constituencies,” Shivakumar told reporters here.
The Deputy Chief Minister maintained that the move should have been discussed across party lines.
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“They have to take everyone into confidence, but they have not done that. That is why the opposition parties have done a very good job. So, it is a victory of the INDIA alliance,” Shivakumar, who is Congress Karnataka unit president, said.
He was speaking about the setback to the BJP-led Central government, where a Constitution Amendment Bill to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures in 2029 and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816 was defeated on Friday, with the ruling dispensation asserting that the struggle to give the rights to women will continue.
While 298 members voted in support of the bill in Lok Sabha, 230 MPs voted against it. Out of 528 members who voted, the bill required 352 votes for a two-third majority.
According to the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, Lok Sabha seats were to be increased to 816 from the current 543 to "operationalise" the women's reservation law before the 2029 parliamentary polls, following a delimitation exercise based on the 2011 Census.
Seats were also to be increased in state and Union territory assemblies to accommodate 33 per cent reservation for women.
Responding to BJP’s charge that the Congress is anti-women, he said, “This is not anyone’s personal property—women are the nation’s asset. We had passed this in the Rajya Sabha and Congress has already given 50 per cent reservation to women in local bodies. Even today, we support it.”
Alleging that the proposed changes could impact regional representation, Shivakumar said, “Without consulting us, they are trying to redraw constituencies, giving more weight to North India and reducing representation in South India. No one can tolerate this.”
He added that leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and several South Indian Chief Ministers have opposed the move, terming the defeat of the bills a "major victory for democracy".
The Congress Karnataka chief asserted that the Congress and the INDIA bloc stand firmly in support of women’s rights.
