Only 25 per cent youth indulge in leisure readings: Study

It further revealed that performance of northeastern states was much better in comparison to the rest of the country in reading leisure books.

The study published by National Book Trust in association with National Council of Applied Economic Research with particular focus on the reading habits of youths of northeast was released by HRD Minister M M Pallam Raju here.

It said Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram occupy the top slot with 67 per cent leisure readers followed by Assam with 41 per cent.

Comparing these states with Maharashtra, it said the figure in the western state was only 34 per cent.

The results were based on the National Youth Readership Survey -2009. In all, 38,575 people between 13-35 years were covered.

It said that 73 per cent of the youth in Bihar, 45-47 per cent in NE region, 34 per cent in Maharashtra and 41 per cent in the rest of the country are found to be fiction readers.

In all, there were 42 per cent fiction readers and 24 per cent non-fiction readers in the country as a whole.

Speaking on the occasion, Raju said they would utilise every fora in encouraging the youths to develop a habit of reading non-textbooks.

Appreciating the better reading habits among northeastern youths, he said a North East Centre would be opened in Jamia Milia Islamia University here, observing it will help in further integration of the region with the country. (MORE)