What is TARA Akshar?

• TARA Akshar is a program which teaches illiterate people how to read and write.
• It works on kids and on adults. It works in cities and in rural areas.
• It uses computer software and an instructor, as well as special playing cards and writing books.
• The instructor does not have to be a trained teacher, but does have to do the authorised training course run by TARAhaat Ltd for instructors.
• It is run in a room with the instructor and the students; it is not an online self-taught class.
• TARA Akshar is now successfully running in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
• About 5,000 students are on the course right now. In the past we have had an average dropout rate of 12% and an average pass-rate of 70%. But now our pass-rates have climbed to well over 92-95%.
• To pass the programme, students have to pass a written comprehension test with 100% correct answers
• Reading speeds at the end of the course vary but all students show considerable improvement with subsequent practice

The TARA Akshar programme was created by Victor Lyons of Readingwise while working as product manager in TARAhaat and developed with the TARAhaat team in 2004-06 in India . The TARAhaat Marketing and Information Services Ltd. is India ’s premier social enterprise, using Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to deliver a broad spectrum of services and products designed for the rural and peri-urban citizens of India . It is affiliated to Development Alternatives, a not for profit organisation, which is delivering TARA Akshar to the rural poor through its Poorest Action Civil Society programme