Why is the literacy rate in Kerala, India so high? (It’s like 98%, I think).
What are they smoking?
I want some.
Re: Kerala, India
From what I understand, it was the influence of Socialist/Communist parties and organizations that led to widespread literacy.
They're nice people, Southern Indians. They have none of that India-Pakistan hostility that the Northern, hinid or punjabi speakers tend to have.
I wanna visit ...:-)
Re: Kerala, India
^ ME TOO! I saw pictures and it looks absolutely GORGEOUS (especially near the water).
They have none of that India-Pakistan hostility that the Northern, hinid or punjabi speakers tend to have.
True. :) Queer is my pal.
Anyways, it seems like a wonderful place to visit. InshaAllah, I'll go there someday.
Re: Kerala, India
coz the rest of the mallu illaterates live outside kerala.:p
Re: Kerala, India
^ Listen pal, if I wanted dumb answers like that, I would’ve posted this in my homeland - the Cafe. 
hehe I’m just kidding. :>
Re: Kerala, India
^ok no pun intended,
I think there are few reasons why kerala has a high literacy rate..
As picocio said there is a very vast communist network in kerala. The early communist and even present day once are very much active in malayalam(language of the state) literature and its cultural development. But this alone is not sufficient to have such a high literacy rate . Communism by itself is not what it takes to have high literacy rate. If that was the case then Communist states of Bangal and tripura would have seen far higher development than kerala.
The credit should go to the different denomination of christian institutions which set up churches and schools (ofcourse near churches) to educate people. The christian and muslim population put together would be 40%. The churches did play a great role in the education of people. Even now i think 65-70% of schools are owned by the churches. Having seen the fast growth of the minority religion, and seeing the growth of their people educationaly, different hindu communities started investing heavily in education. Together with the communist movement and land reforms, people started to have feel for better life and what education can do to have a better life.
Now education is seen in kerala as a must.
IN my own village (20thousand people) there are around 10 schools.
People have great ideals to look upto..Our countries formar presidant KR Narayanan was from kerala.
This was the first state in kerala i suppose where in govt schools free noon meal scheem was introduced.
And finally again during the 1985 , the communist govt there started "sampoorana saksharada"(fully literacy) mission .With its vast network( communist gets their vote from the poor and the labourers) they could target the right kind of people and their vigerous literacy compaign gave the near 100% result.
so its a combination of all this that kerala remain to be near 100% literate.
Re: Kerala, India
How come there's more Christians/Muslims in south India?
Re: Kerala, India
Not all south Indian. It is only true for Kerala.
Re: Kerala, India
Why then for Kerala?
...and do they have like "governors" or something for regions of India?
Re: Kerala, India
...and do they have like "governors" or something for regions of India?
Chief Minister and Governor. Chief Ministers are the on who are elected by people and run the state.
Re: Kerala, India
What?
If the people are electing the Chief Ministers, then how is it communism?
(sorry about all the questions. I don't know much about politics and stuff)
Re: Kerala, India
There's a much simpler explanation for the 98%.
THEY CANNOT COUNT RIGHT!
Re: Kerala, India
^ LOL 
Don’t hate. I’m already kinda starting to wish I was Souf’ Innian. 
Re: Kerala, India
yeh, thats the issue with americans - they think communism is autocracy (among a lot of other things like the devil’s lovechild).
Re: Kerala, India
Communism is like when a single party hold power, yea? So if the people are electing the Chief Ministers, then how is it communism?
Re: Kerala, India
No. communism is when the state largely regulates means of production, or even owns it. single party rule is what america has used successfully to herd its people away from socialism into almost complete capitalism.
Re: Kerala, India
Communist party of India is partner with Congress in current central government. As well they are ruling WestBengal from last 16+ years.
Communist party in India fights election more of Socialistic norms, rather than communist norms. Though issue isn't as simple as this...
Re: Kerala, India
Queer your statement to condemn America for the wrong picture conveyed by communism is not the whole truth. Any person looking around would see that most of the communist countries have one party rule. True US has done much to discredit communism, but it is the communists themselves who have created this image for themselves.
Coming back to the topic...
Kerala has good literacy coz the importance of education was inculcated in the keralites from a long time.
I come from kerala and would like to share a saying about the wonderful place..
"Gods' own country"
.......
....... inhabited by devil's children coz communism has ruined the landscape of kerala. Every other day there is a bandh (strike) or hartal. No industry is allowed to flourish there. Hence all the educated have left kerala...
Re: Kerala, India
with 98% literacy ...kerala is a state with zero employment opportunities (some IT parks are coming up still.... )
for social development communism is good ....... but for economic development they are bad (see what they did to bengal)
Re: Kerala, India
Its true in places where there is no opposition. This is the first state in India where non congress govt came to power. As soon as the communist came to power, they start to impose their communist idiologies. ONe good thing they did was land reforms.(giving the actual land labourers their land from the land lords. ). I only hope that such measured were taken in north india, this would have prevented so much naxalism and caste wars in these places. The other thing which they did antogonised their biggest nemesis, Religion.They started to levy taxes on churches, temples and mosque. Religius hindus, muslims and christians ganged up and with the able support of the congress party in the state and from Pandit Nehru in Delhi, they could bring the communist down. Congress realized as a movement they cannot compete with the communism. They formed an umbrella organisation which encomposes most of the religious elements in the state(called the united democratic front (UDF)) to take on the communist. The communist also formed their own left umbrella group called the left democratic front(LDF), inorder not to split the communist votes. From then onwards the udf and ldf were in power for every five years.
LDF has now diluted most of its communist agenda. But still has dreams of establishing a stalinist or maoist kind of theocracy. Some places they do. Most of the industries in kerala has been locked up. Most of the farmers are moving out of agriculture as wage hike for labourers is one of the highest in kerala. Agriculture is not any more viable and cannot compete with products from Tamil nadu and Andhra.
Having said all this negative qualities, a keralite will remain always a keralite. There is no better place than kerala. Its very beautifull, fully green covered. Back waters, fishes and the taste of fried fresh water fish still lingers in my mouth.
Phatima.. my advice is , its a very good place to have a retired life. but not a good place to go for a living. That is why u will find most of keralites outside kerala, than inside.:D. Look at the GS itself.