The rising population of non-literates has posed a major challenge to the Human Resource development ministry with efforts mounted through the National Literacy Mission programme being nuetralised by growing population. According to official reports, the number of illiterates has increased from 300 million in 1951 to 328 million in 1991.Whereas, the number of literates has gone up from 60 million in 1951 to 359 million in 1991.