Lucknow, Nov 14 (IANS) To attract youth and encourage them to promote literacy in Uttar Pradesh, an NGO has said it will offer those teaching the illiterate an opportunity to opt either for a computer course or a personality development course for free.

Pratham, an NGO working to provide quality education to underprivileged children, will initiate the literacy campaign - Education in lieu of Education programme - in Uttar Pradesh next month to give impetus to the literacy rate in the state.

'We are gearing up to launch the campaign that initially would be launched only in a few selected districts of the state,' Ajit Solanki, who heads Pratham's activities in Uttar Pradesh, told reporters here.

'As per our plans, the campaign would be initiated in a phased manner and the first phase would cover Lucknow and two or three adjoining districts,' he added.

According to officials, Pratham has already instructed its volunteers to inform people about the upcoming programme.

'Our volunteers will fan out in different villages in order to inform the locals about the programme. We believe the Education in lieu of Education programme will make educated youths to come forward and join us,' said Solanki.

'Normally in backward areas and villages, even educated youths do not know computer basics and also lack communication or soft skills. But, with the unique offer we believe they would join us and help promote literacy,' he added.

Literacy rate in Uttar Pradesh is 57.36 percent, below the national average of 65.4 percent, according to the 2001 census.