At 99.3%, Himachal now fully literate

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu declared Himachal a fully literate state on the occasion of International Literacy Day here today. The state achieved the milestone by fulfilling the parameters of the Centre’s literacy scheme — New India Literacy Programme (NILP), also known as Unnati Aur Jagrikta Se Sashakt Bharat (ULLAS). The major parameters of the programme include foundational literacy and numeracy, life skills like financial and digital literacy among vocational skill development, among others. Under the programme, any state having higher than 95 per cent literacy rate is considered fully literate. The literacy rate in Himachal is 99.3 per cent, which is not only way beyond the benchmark but also the highest in the country. Until now, only three states — Mizoram, Goa and Tripura — have been declared fully literate under the NILP.

“It’s a historic day for the state. The journey from a minimal literacy rate of around seven per cent to becoming a fully literate state has been full of challenges, but Himachal kept moving ahead with the aim of providing quality education,” the Chief Minister said, while congratulating the people of the state. He added that the government was committed to providing quality education and was working towards establishing world-class institutions in the state.

Education Minister Rohit Thakur said that the feat would be remembered as the golden chapter in the history of the state. “All governments in the state have given priority to education. It’s because of that we have achieved the highest literacy rate in the country. The feat is remarkable considering our tough geographic conditions and others constraints,” he added while congratulating his department and volunteer teachers for the milestone.

He said, “It’s just the beginning. We are striving towards making the state the best in quality education.” In surveys conducted by the Directorate of School Education, 95,307 individuals were found to be non-literate in the state in 2024. “As many as 42,578 individuals have become neo-literate with the help of around 19,000 volunteer teachers. Now, we have just 52,729 non-literate individuals in the population of 75.27 lakh in the state,” said Ashish Kohli, Director, School Education.

The beneficiaries of the literacy programme are quite happy with the outcome of the initiative. They feel their lives have taken a turn for the better. Megha Ram, 65, said that the light of literacy has reached them a little late, but it has still brightened up their lives. “I can now handle my phone, fill forms in the bank and the post office. It feels good doing these tasks without asking for help,” he added.

Joins Tripura, Mizoram, Goa in significant milestone

Himachal Pradesh has become the fifth state to achieve full functional literacy, joining Tripura, Mizoram, and Goa in this significant milestone. On June 24, 2024, Ladakh was declared the first Union Territory to be fully literate under the Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society (ULLAS), a literacy programme for people over 15 who may not have attended school.

In a virtual address at the International Literacy Day (ILD) 2025 celebration organised by the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday underscored that literacy goes beyond reading and writing.

“It is a means to dignity, empowerment and self-reliance. India’s literacy rate has risen from 74 per cent in 2011 to 80.9 per cent in 2023–24,” he said.

The theme for this year’s celebration was “Promoting literacy in the digital era”, highlighting the pivotal role of digital technology in enabling reading, writing, numeracy and lifelong learning skills across the country.

Union Minister Jayant Chaudhary said it was especially significant that states with difficult terrains were among the first to achieve this milestone. “Despite challenges of limited access to schools, teachers, and resources, communities organised themselves, volunteers stepped forward, and governments extended support,” he said.

He further observed that the concept of literacy in India had expanded to include digital literacy. He highlighted that India had set an example for the world, particularly the Global South, by creating robust digital public infrastructure that accelerated education and inclusion.

Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, said, “India’s has risen in literacy from 12 per cent post-independence to over 80 per cent today, urging further improvement by the next census through the ULLAS.” He emphasised that all literate citizens should teach non-literate individuals. He highlighted a large number of learners and volunteer teachers who were registered under ULLAS.

The latest of the adult literacy programmes — ULLAS — was rolled out by the government. In 60’s the government had launched a nationwide programme called the National Adult Education Programme for the 15-35 age group. Then under the same bracket came the National Literacy Mission from 1988 to 2009.