Page 33 - Contributed Paper Session (CPS) - Volume 8

CPS2171 Rajkumari Latasana Devi et al.

A study on correlation between literacy and sex
ratio in a Northeast State of India
2
1
Rajkumari Latasana Devi , Rajkumari Sanatombi Devi , Sumati Rajkumari
1
1 Ghana Priya Women’s College
2 Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences, Sikkim Manipal University

Abstract
One of the basic demographic characteristics of a population is the sex
composition. The sex composition of a population has a considerable impact
on health, social, economic condition of a country. According to census of
India "a person aged more than 6 years and who can both read and write with
understanding in any language has taken as a literate" and the sex ratio is
defined as the number of females born per 1000 males. The sex ratio is
considered as a tool to determine the gender equity of the population. The
objective of the present study is to determine the correlation between the
literacy and sex ratio in Sikkim, India. The study was based on census report
2011 published by the Registrar General, Government of India. The literacy
was considered as an independent variable, while sex ratio is considered as a
dependent variable. Using Spearman's rank correlation method, it was
observed that literacy and sex ratio were negatively correlated which was not
statistically significant (r = - 0.40, P=0.60). The study reveals that there was a
low negative correlation between literacy and sex ratio of the population in
Sikkim. In other word, an indirect relationship was found between the literacy
and sex ratio in the state.

Keywords
Population; Census; Gender equity; Northeast India

1. Introduction
One of the important indicators of social development is the level of
literacy and a high level of which is considered to be an important factor in
the process of modernization. The level of social development in different
countries, regions or even in the various political divisions of the same country
may be compared on the basis of literacy. Literacy is one of the
most important components uses to measure the quality of life or wellbeing
of a country. The United Nations has defined literacy as the ability of a person
to read and write with understanding a short simple statement on his everyday
life. According to census of India a person aged more than 6 years and who
can both read and write with understanding in any language has taken as a
literate. Literacy rate is defined as the percent of literate persons in the age
group 7 and above, to population in ages 7 and above. It is calculated as
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