Though there have been significant gains in literacy rates, large gender, social and regional disparities in literacy levels persist. The gains in literacy levels are due to success of the adult education programmes and improvements in primary schooling. However, there is a further need to enhance the literacy levels of the socially marginalized groups and those living in rural areas through interventions of adult education programmes and open schooling systems. This theme seeks to elicit views on how we achieve faster progress in reducing the existing disparities in literacy levels.