Literate Life Expectancy for Females of Assam and Selected States of India: A District Level Analysis of the 2001 Census Data

Abstract

Literate Life Expectancy (LLE), computed by using life table method, is based on age-specific mortality rates and age-specific proportions of literate. It is proved to be an innovative, objective and useful indicator of sustainable social development and quality of life. LLE is the aggregate average number of years that a person lives under literate state. Living under literate conditions has many positive effects on social, economic, political and environmental aspects. Through this study an attempt has been made to compare and contrast the LLEs at district level for females of Assam and some selected states including West Bengal, Kerala, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. With the district level analysis of LLE for females we are particularly interested in finding those social differentials which are overlooked at the national level analysis. The outcome of the study at district level was rather meaningful as we observed a gloomy picture regarding the social development of females living in different districts under study. We found a difference of almost 60 years of LLE at birth for females between the first and last ranked districts of the states included in this analysis. We also observed that high LLEs at birth were concentrated around the districts of Kerala.