Himachal declared ‘fully literate state’, achieves 99.30% literacy
Gajendra Singh Godara
Sep 9, 2025
10
mins read
Literacy is defined as the ability to read and write with understanding. In India, the government measures “full literacy” when a state meets prescribed thresholds (often ~95% or higher) and fulfills criteria under adult-education schemes. Himachal Pradesh (a mountainous state) achieving 99.30% literacy shows remarkable progress from its post-independence literacy (around 7%).
This development has broad relevance: an educated populace underpins economic growth, health, gender equality and robust democracy – all key UPSC themes (e.g., inclusive development, empowerment). It also reflects India’s push towards Sustainable Development Goal 4 (quality education) and the National Education Policy’s focus on foundational skills.
Why in the News ?
On International Literacy Day (September 8, 2025) the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu at ULLAS Mela 2025 announced that the state has become a “fully literate state” with 99.30% literacy. This milestone places Himachal as the fourth state (after Mizoram, Goa and Tripura) – and fifth overall including UT Ladakh – to achieve full literacy under the ULLAS Programme.
Top Rank in Student-Teacher Ratio
In addition to literacy, Himachal also ranks first in the country in terms of student-teacher ratio, reflecting the government’s success in ensuring personalized and effective classroom learning. This has been achieved through,
Strategic recruitment of qualified teachers
Infrastructure expansion in government schools
Curriculum modernization and teacher training
Apart from Tripura, Mizoram, Goa and Himachal Pradesh, Ladakh became the first Union Territory to achieve this feat
Mizoram
On May 20, 2025, Mizoram became the first fully literate state in India. According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PFLS) survey data for 2023-24, the literacy rate of Mizoram is 98.2 per cent. It ranked third in India with a literacy rate of 91.33 per cent, according to the 2011 Census.
Goa
Goa became the second state in the country to be officially declared fully literate under the ULLAS initiative, achieving a 100 percent literacy rate. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the state earlier had a 94 per cent literacy rate, and after training programmes under ULLAS, it has now reached full literacy.
Tripura
Tripura became the third state after Mizoram and Goa to achieve full literacy, with a literacy rate of 95.6 per cent. This is a remarkable achievement, given that the state's literacy rate was only 20.24 per cent in 1961.
Ladakh
Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh BD Mishra announced that Ladakh has become the first Union Territory to be fully literate, achieving a literacy rate of 97 per cent.
States Fully Literate under ULLAS:
State/UT | Literacy Rate | Declaration (Year) |
Mizoram | 98.2% | May 2025 |
Goa | ≈99.7%–100% | May 2025 |
Tripura | 95.6% | June 2025 |
Ladakh (UT) | 97.0% | Jun 2024 |
Himachal Pradesh | 99.3% | Sep 2025 |
(Data from Government releases and media reports.)
Literacy vs Functional Literacy
Literacy: As per the Office of the Registrar General of India, any person aged 7 years or above who can read and write with understanding in any language is considered literate.
Functional Literacy: Goes a step further. It is the ability to read, write, and comprehend information in ways that enable an individual to function effectively in everyday life. This includes reading instructions, filling forms, using technology, managing finances, and making informed decisions.
ULLAS Scheme (Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society)
Launched in 2022 as the New India Literacy Programme for 2022–27.
Targets 5 crore non-literate adults (15+ years) across India.
Focus areas: foundational literacy, digital literacy, financial and legal literacy, and vocational skills.
Implements a door-to-door survey system and uses volunteers, NGOs, and teachers as resource persons.
Learning materials developed by NCERT, certification by NIOS.
Promotes a Jan Andolan (people’s movement) for adult education, blending community participation with governance reforms.
Other Initiatives for India’s progress in literacy
India’s progress in literacy has been shaped by several flagship programmes and missions. Apart from the ULLAS Scheme, the following initiatives are noteworthy:
National Literacy Mission (NLM, 1988): Launched to eradicate adult illiteracy, with a focus on functional literacy for people aged 15–35. It laid the foundation for later community-based literacy campaigns.
Saakshar Bharat Mission (2009): Targeted achieving 80% literacy nationally, with special emphasis on reducing the gender gap in literacy to 10 percentage points. It focused on women and disadvantaged groups.
NIPUN Bharat Mission (2021, under NEP 2020): Aims to achieve universal foundational literacy and numeracy in primary school children (Grades 1–3) by 2025. It complements adult literacy by ensuring that no child is left behind in basic learning.
Key Features
Declaration on ILD: On September 8, 2025 (International Literacy Day), CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced that Himachal is a “fully literate state”. The event was the Puran Sakshar Himachal Samaroh and ULLAS Mela-2025 in Shimla, organized by the state’s Directorate of School Education.
Literacy Statistics: The state’s literacy has reached 99.30%, far above the national benchmark of 95%. This jump, from ~7% in 1947 to 99.3% today, was achieved “well before time” through reforms and campaigns.
ULLAS Programme: The achievement is credited to the ULLAS (Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram) literacy drive. Over 3 crore learners and 42 lakh volunteers have joined ULLAS nationwide. (Nearly 1.83 crore learners passed foundational literacy tests with 90% success.)
Education Quality: Officials note that Himachal now has the lowest dropout rate in India and the best student–teacher ratio. The state plans further reforms: e.g. converting government schools into “centres of excellence” and expanding world-class infrastructure.
What are the limitations?
Quality of Literacy: Critics may ask whether “literacy” (basic reading/writing) fully captures education quality. Ensuring that newly literate adults achieve useful life skills (digital, financial literacy) is the next step. There remains 0.7% of the population to cover, and sustaining 100% retention is hard.
Rural-Urban Divide: Even within Himachal, pockets of low literacy (e.g., among some nomadic or very remote tribes) may persist. Continuous outreach is needed.
Implementation Load: Maintaining excellent student–teacher ratios and infrastructure in all areas is a challenge. The government must ensure schools remain staffed and incentivize learning (mid-day meals, scholarships) to keep children in class from an early age.
Digital Divide: As emphasis shifts to “digital literacy,” rural connectivity gaps must be bridged. Some argue that states may need significant investment in digital education tools to realize the “digital era” literacy highlighted by officials.
Measurement Issues: The declaration relies on criteria under ULLAS, not the Census. (The last Census literacy for HP was 82.8% in 2011.) Critics might debate the comparability of these statistics. Nonetheless, the ULLAS testing is rigorous (150-mark assessments) and certified by NIOS, giving credibility to the claim.
Way Forward (Government Measures)
Sustain Volunteerism: The government plans to keep citizens involved. As MoS Chaudhary said, volunteer-driven “Jan Andolan” must continue. Youth (college students, NGOs) are being encouraged to join ULLAS campaigns and tutoring programs.
Link Literacy to Livelihoods: Future efforts will integrate literacy learning with skill training (e.g., vocational skills, entrepreneurship). This ensures literacy leads directly to economic benefits. For example, after passing literacy tests, learners can be guided to self-help groups or digital banking training.
Broaden Literacy Definition: Policy will expand beyond basic literacy to include digital, financial, legal, and civic literacy. This means teaching adults to use smartphones, access e-governance, manage personal finances, and understand rights. NCERT has already developed multilingual materials under ULLAS for such life skills.
Continue ULLAS Drive: The ULLAS/Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram (2022–2027) will persist, registering any remaining illiterates. The government also plans state-specific campaigns – in HP, annual literacy weeks and door-to-door surveys will keep identifying and educating the few non-literate.
Infrastructure & Quality: Investing in school infrastructure (especially in remote panchayats), teacher training (NISHTHA scheme), and digital classrooms (DIKSHA platform) will help maintain high literacy and translate it into quality education. The NEP 2020’s goals of 100% GER by 2030 and foundational learning for all align with these measures.
To know more about the recent updates on NEP see Padhai.ai’s blog National Education Policy 2020: Reforms, Achievements & Challenges - PadhAI
UPSC Previous Year Questions
Prelims
Q. Which of the following provisions of the Constitution does India have a bearing on Education? (2012)
Directive Principles of State Policy
Rural and Urban Local Bodies
Fifth Schedule
Sixth Schedule
Seventh Schedule
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3, 4 and 5 only
(c) 1, 2 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Ans: (d)
Himachal Pradesh’s transformation from one of the least literate regions to a fully literate state is a powerful case study in governance, social mobilization, and education policy. It highlights how sustained government effort (through programmes like ULLAS) and community participation (teachers, volunteers, families) can break cycles of illiteracy. For India, the milestone strengthens the foundation for economic and social development, particularly in rural and hilly areas.
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External Linking Suggestions
UPSC Official Website – Syllabus & Notification: https://upsc.gov.in/
Press Information Bureau – Government Announcements: https://pib.gov.in/
NCERT Official Website – Standard Books for UPSC: https://ncert.nic.in
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