Tata Consultancy Services, India's largest unlisted software and services company, has won the 'Asian Corporate Social Responsibility Award' for its community work to raise the literacy levels in the country.
The Asian CSR Award rates corporates on the basis of implementing programs and initiatives that demonstrate leadership, sincerity as well as on-going commitment in incorporating ethical values.
TCS won the award in the 'Support and Improvement in Education' category. The award recognises the contribution of companies through their endowment or contribution toward improving the level of education of their employees, their community and their nation.
TCS set up the 'Adult Literacy Programme' to help the Indian government eradicate illiteracy, a major social concern affecting a third of the Indian population comprising of old and young adults.
Today, India's literacy rate stands at around 65 per cent, up from 52 per cent in 1991. At the rate of increase, it would take some 20 to 25 years to clear this problem.
With the traditional method of learning to read and write, an illiterate person would take between six months to two years with trained teachers to learn to read and write. In addition, India will also need about 1 million teachers to deliver the training.
To accelerate the rate of learning, the literacy program uses a TCS-designed computer-based functional literacy model, a teaching method that uses multimedia software to teach adults to read within 30-45 learning hours -- spread over 1 to 1.5 hours sessions, thrice a week, over a period of 10 to 12 weeks.
"Reading is the new civil right. No modern society can function without a literate population and no one can function well in a modern society without being literate," says S Ramadorai, Chief Executive Officer, TCS.
The computer-based functional literacy method uses animated graphics patterns for visualisation and audio appreciation. By combining graphic patterns of visualisation, repetition of sound patterns and language structures and cognition of the meaning, a person is made to read. This CBFL method is implemented using computers and flash cards.
TCS works closely with governments both at the state and district level to develop and deploy CBFL packages in the local language, as a supplement to their programs. To support the use of the CBFL model, TCS also donates computers to the state governments.
"At TCS, we believe in developing innovative methods using theories of cognition, language and communication to make people literate within the next five years. TCS is committed in using computers and IT as the medium to facilitate the process, monitor administration and manage logistics."
"Literacy increases awareness and facilitates responsible action. Adult literacy empowers and will be key in moving the people and country forward," says Ramadorai.
The Asian CSR award is presented by the Asian Institute of Management's Ramon V del Rosario, Sr. Centre for Corporate Responsibility.
The centre is a research and program hub with the mission of developing professional, entrepreneurial and socially responsible leaders and managers.
