Percept/H bags Directorate of Adult Education's creative mandate

Sheetal Patel - Televisionpoint.com | New Delhi
The Directorate of Adult Education, a subordinate office of the Department of Elementary Education and Literacy, under the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD), has roped in Percept/H, Delhi as its creative agency for the adult education programme for a period of two years.

With an eye on the relatively low level of female literacy (54 per cent), the government has recasted the National Literacy Mission as National Mission on Female Literacy recently. It also indicates the understanding that female literacy has a multiplier effect, especially when it comes to social development.

On the occasion of World Literacy Day, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh launched the Directorate's National Mission on Female Literacy program. Themed as Saakshar Bharat, the mission will run for three years, with aims to educate about 65 million adults, out of which 55 million would be women. Under the 11th Plan (which will end in 2012), the mission has been allocated Rs 6,000 crore for the same.

For the creative business, there were 74 agencies in the fray for the pitch called by the Directorate of Adult Education, about three months ago. Subsequently 14 agencies were short listed and this list was further pruned to six agencies in further presentations. Finally, the creative mandate was assigned to Percept/H.

The size of the account is estimated at Rs 200 crore. Though the agency will use conventional ATL media like television and print, there will be heavy reliance on BTL as well. Many local media, including theatre groups, will be explored by the agency to reach its TG, which comprises the poorest of the poor.

Speaking to Televisionpoint.com, Amitava Mitra, director, Percept/H, informs that with a new slogan - Literate India - the mission will be launched this month in 365 districts. It would be run in active participation with the state governments unlike in the past when it was run directly by the Centre through different implementation agencies at the district level.

Mitra says, "We will help the government in structurally changing the mission and adopting new strategies. The HRD Ministry will implement the new scheme with the help of panchayati raj institutions. We are excited to partner with the Ministry, which aims to bring the country's literacy level to 80 per cent by 2017."

Higher education and skill development are the focus areas, especially as the government would like to realise the demographic dividend. However, the government is not unmindful of the other end of the education spectrum.

There is a 21 per cent gap between the literacy levels of men and women, which is wide. Seven states alone account for 70 per cent of illiterate people in the country. While the national literacy level is 64 per cent, the male literacy level is 75 per cent and the female level is 54 per cent.