Which of the following statements about the Saakshar Bharat literacy scheme are correct?

Introduction / Context:
Saakshar Bharat is a national literacy mission launched by the Government of India to promote adult education, with particular focus on women and disadvantaged groups. It replaced earlier literacy programmes and sought to empower non-literate adults, especially in rural areas. Examination questions often test detailed knowledge of such schemes by presenting multiple statements and asking which are correct.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Statement 1: It is a centrally sponsored scheme which was launched during the Eleventh Five-Year Plan.
• Statement 2: The scheme applies to women in particular and disadvantaged groups in general.
• Statement 3: The scheme applies to persons above the age of 10 years.
• Statement 4: The scheme is anchored with Panchayati Raj Institutions and Local Self-Government.
• The question asks which combination of these statements is correct.

Concept / Approach:
Saakshar Bharat was indeed launched as a centrally sponsored scheme during the Eleventh Five-Year Plan with a strong emphasis on female literacy and on disadvantaged sections. It was anchored in local self-governance structures such as Panchayati Raj Institutions to ensure community participation. However, the scheme focused on adults, typically those aged 15 and above, not persons merely above 10 years. Hence, statements 1, 2 and 4 are correct, while statement 3 is not.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Evaluate statement 1. Saakshar Bharat was launched in 2009 during the Eleventh Five-Year Plan and was structured as a centrally sponsored scheme where the central government provided the main financial support. Therefore, statement 1 is correct. Step 2: Evaluate statement 2. The scheme explicitly targeted women, aiming to significantly reduce the gender gap in literacy, and also extended its benefits to disadvantaged groups such as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minorities and others. Thus, statement 2 correctly describes the focus of Saakshar Bharat. Step 3: Evaluate statement 3. Saakshar Bharat is an adult literacy scheme and typically applies to non-literate adults aged 15 years and above, not to all persons above 10 years of age. This statement therefore misstates the age criterion and is incorrect. Step 4: Evaluate statement 4. The scheme was anchored with Panchayati Raj Institutions and local self-government bodies to improve local level planning, monitoring and community participation, making statement 4 correct. Step 5: Since statements 1, 2 and 4 are correct and statement 3 is incorrect, the correct option is “1, 2 and 4”.

Verification / Alternative check:
Government documents on Saakshar Bharat frequently mention that it is a centrally sponsored scheme launched in 2009 during the Eleventh Plan period. They also emphasise that the primary target group is non-literate adults, especially women, generally in the age group of 15 years and above. The same documents stress that Panchayati Raj Institutions and local bodies are responsible for implementing and monitoring the programme at the grassroots. There is no mention of extending the scheme to children just above 10 years. This confirms that statements 1, 2 and 4 are correct and statement 3 is not.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Option A (1, 2 and 3) mistakenly includes the incorrect age-related statement 3.
• Option B (2, 3 and 4) omits statement 1, which is correct, and includes the wrong statement 3.
• Option D (1, 3 and 4) again includes the incorrect statement 3 and omits the correct statement 2.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to skim over age limits and assume that any educational scheme must start from around 10 years, which is closer to school-age children, rather than recognising that Saakshar Bharat is specifically an adult literacy initiative. Another mistake is to overlook the central role of Panchayati Raj Institutions and assume that all programmes are anchored only at district offices. Paying close attention to the stated target group and implementation structure helps avoid these errors.

Final Answer:
1, 2 and 4