LITERACY PATTERN AND LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE TEA GARDEN WORKERS OF DOOARS REGION, WEST BENGAL.

Abstract

The tea industry is one of the oldest industries in India. It occupies a pivotal position in the country’s economy. The plantation labourers of Dooars of West Bengal were mostly from the weaker section of the society and were tortured and exploited by the local landlords. They have been kept or are forced to remain at the lowest rungs of the society due to lower rate of literacy level and unawareness. Education, being the major component of human resource development is one of the most important indicators of the socio-economic and political development of the tea workers. The depth of socio-cultural heritage of this group is judged from the percentage of literacy and educational advancement. It is a powerful instrument to change the values and attitude of the people and to create in them the urge of the necessary motivation to achieve social mobility and social ascendancy. The main objectives of the present are to study the literacy pattern and level of development of the tea garden workers of the Dooars region in West Bengal. Both primary and secondary data are used for the present study. For collecting the primary information from the workers of selected 30 tea gardens of Dooars region, the stratified random sampling technique is used for the present study. Statistical measures including Standard score, Composite Z scores are used to evaluate the literacy pattern and level of development of the workers and the results are presented in the form of relevant maps and diagrams by applying suitable cartographic techniques. The major finding of the present paper is that the vast numbers of people of the selected tea gardens of the Dooars region are illiterate. It can be also observed that the percentage of female literacy rate is decreasing compared to the male counterpart with the advancement of education in the hierarchical level. Considering the factors responsible for educational backwardness, prompt measures for its improvement are considered and highly necessary.