Which state had the lowest literacy rate among the major states as per Census…

Concept: The Census of India reports the effective literacy rate: the number of literate persons aged 7 years and above, expressed as a percentage of the population aged 7 years and above. A person is counted as literate if they can read and write with understanding in any language, so formal schooling is not required. Children below 7 years are excluded from both the numerator and the denominator, which is why this figure differs from the share of the total population that is literate. Comparing states on this single, uniformly defined measure is what a question about the highest or lowest literacy rate is asking for.

Application: The effective literacy rates recorded in Census 2011 for the states offered here are:

The smallest value in this column is 61.80 per cent, so Bihar had the lowest literacy rate among the states offered.

Cross-check: Bihar also stood last among all states of the country on this measure in Census 2011, with no state recording a rate below 61.80 per cent, while Kerala stood highest at 94.00 per cent. Bihar had occupied the same last position in Census 2001 at 47.00 per cent, so this is a continuing pattern rather than a one-census fluctuation.