Mizoram (98.2%), Lakshadweep (97.3%), Kerala (95.3%), Tripura (93.7%), and Goa (93.6%) recorded the highest literacy rates among individuals aged seven years and above, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023–24.

The National Sample Survey Office, under the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, released the report. It showed that India's literacy rate for the population aged seven years and above stood at 80.9%. For those aged five years and above, the national literacy rate was 79.7%. The report presented disaggregated data based on a nationally representative sample across all states and Union Territories.

The PLFS reported detailed literacy data across age groups (5+ and 7+), gender, and rural-urban categories for every state and Union Territory. Among those aged seven and above, the male literacy rate was 87.2% at the national level. Female literacy stood at 74.6%. In the 5+ age group, the male literacy rate was 85.6%, and the female literacy rate was 73.7%.

Bihar (74.3%), Madhya Pradesh (75.2%), and Rajasthan (75.8%) had the lowest literacy rates in the 7+ age group. In the 5+ category, Bihar had the lowest rate at 73.2%, followed by Madhya Pradesh (73.7%) and Rajasthan (74.9%).

Urban India showed a higher literacy rate than rural India. The urban literacy rate for people aged seven and above was 88.9%, while rural areas recorded 77.5%. In Madhya Pradesh, rural literacy stood at 71.6%, and urban literacy at 85.7%, showing a gap of more than 14 percentage points. Bihar recorded 72.1% literacy in rural areas and 83.2% in urban areas. Rajasthan recorded 72.5% rural literacy and 84.7% urban literacy. These figures reflected similar rural-urban gaps across northern and central Indian states.

The gender gap in literacy remained wide. For the population aged seven and above, the national gender gap stood at 12.6 percentage points. Rajasthan showed the largest gap at 20.1%, with male literacy at 85.9% and female literacy at 65.8%. Bihar followed with a 16.2 percentage point gap (male: 82.3%, female: 66.1%), while Madhya Pradesh showed a 16.1 percentage point difference (male: 83.1%, female: 67.0%).

In rural areas, the gender gap widened further. Rural Rajasthan recorded male literacy at 83.6% and female literacy at 61.8%. Rural Bihar showed 81.5% male literacy and 65% female literacy. Rural Madhya Pradesh posted 80% male literacy and 62.6% female literacy. On the other hand, top-performing states had narrower gender gaps. Mizoram recorded 99.2% male literacy and 97% female literacy. Kerala showed 96.7% literacy for males and 94% for females.

The PLFS 2023–24 indicated that overall literacy levels had improved across India. However, regional, gender, and rural-urban disparities in literacy remained significant. These disparities were especially prominent in states with large rural and tribal populations, where access to education and learning outcomes continued to fall below national averages.