numbered 8,073 (6.96%). As per 2001 census, Durgapur Faridpur block had a total population of 108,619, out of which 59,253 were males and 49,336 were females. Durgapur-Faridpur block registered a population growth of 19.00 per cent during the 1991-2001 decade. Decadal growth for Bardhaman district was 14.36 per cent. Decadal growth in West Bengal was 17.84 per cent. Scheduled castes at 35,692 formed around one-third the population. Scheduled tribes numbered 8,211. Census Towns in Durgapur Faridpur CD Block are (2011 census figures in brackets): Mandarbani (4,592), Banagram (5,635), Sirsha (4,600), Nabaghanapur (5,383), Sarpi (5,549) and Ichhapur (4,795). Large villages (with 4,000+ population) in Durgapur Faridpur CD Block are (2011 census figures in brackets):Shyamsundarpur (6,273), Jemua (5,976) and Madhaipur (5,140). Other villages in Fardipur Durgapur CD Block are (2011census figures in brackets): Laudoha (2,399), Gogla (1,799), Pratappur (1,644), Tilaboni (1,659) and Jhanjra (2,125). Literacy As per the 2011 census the total number of literates in Durgapur Faridpur CD Block was 76,080 (74.14% of the population over 6 years) out of which males numbered 43,951 (82.05% of the male population over 6 years) and females numbered 32,129 (65.50% of the female population over 6 years). The gender disparity (the difference between female and male literacy rates) was 16.55%. As per 2001 census, Durgapur-Faridpur block had a total literacy of 67.34 per cent for the 6+ age group. While male literacy was 77.94 per cent female literacy was 55.14 per cent. Bardhaman district had a total literacy of 70.18 per cent, male literacy being 78.63 per cent and female literacy being 60.95 per cent. See also – List of West Bengal districts ranked by literacy rate Language and religion As per census definition, mother-tongue is the language spoken in childhood by the person's mother to the person. As a mother-tongue, Bengali has decreased its share from 82.3% of the population of Bardhaman district in 1961 to 79.9% in 2001, Hindi has increased its share from 8.5% in 1961 to 10.9% in 2001 Santali has remained steady at around 4.9% during the period, and Urdu has increased its share from 2.4% in 1961 to 2.6% in 2001. Other mother-tongues spoken in 2001 were: Odiya (0.3%), Punjabi (0.2%), Koda/Kora (0.2%), Telugu (0.1%), Bhojpuri (0.1%), Nepali (0.1%) and Kurukh/ Oraon (0.1%). As of 2017, CD Block-wise/ other region-wise break-up of mother tongue is not available in census/ other official sources. There have been reports in the