{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.022485207100591716, 'fraction_numerical': 0.011834319526627219, 'mean_word_length': 5.01779359430605, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Post-literacy and Second-Stage Adult Learning in India

This paper surveys the work done in post-literacy in India as part of the National Literacy Mission. Created as a second stage of activity after the initial Total Literacy Campaign, the tensions between the radical and the bureaucratic elements within the Total Literacy Campaign are replicated and indeed amplified in the postliteracy stage. The main issue is the aim of post-literacy--whether it is for the further development of literacy skills or the preparation for some future activity--and if the latter, what that activity should be (self-help group, income generation, continuing education, independent learning etc.). This uncertainty means that post-literacy has become an arena of struggle between individual and group goals, between literacy learning and development goals, between instruction and independent learning; and it is therefore less effective than it could be. Based on an extensive review of the literature and on many interviews and discussions during a series of visits to India between 1993 and 2001 (two of which, in 1993 and 1998, were specifically to explore the field of post-literacy in preparation for two research reports), the paper outlines some of the concerns being voiced in India about this aspect of adult literacy learning. The quotations come from interviews and field notes, mostly made in 1998. Interviews were conducted by myself with a researcher or practitioner from India in attendance; most were in English but some were in local languages and used translation. In many cases, we agreed that a generalised description of the interview would be provided rather than individual names.