Uttarakhand has officially become the sixth fully literate state in India, achieving this milestone under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the ULLAS program, with a literacy rate now exceeding 98 percent. This significant accomplishment means the state has met the stringent literacy benchmarks set by the Union Ministry of Education, which define full literacy as the ability to read, write, and compute with comprehension, along with critical life skills like digital and financial literacy, and requires at least 95 percent literacy for a state or Union Territory to be recognized as fully literate. The state government attributed this success to sustained efforts and public participation, with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami emphasizing a continued commitment to ensuring digital, financial, and continuing education reach all citizens, a vision aligned with Viksit Bharat 2047 and the ULLAS program's aim to provide lifelong learning opportunities, particularly for adults aged 15 and above who missed formal schooling and disadvantaged groups.

Uttarakhand has officially become the sixth fully literate state in India, achieving this milestone under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the ULLAS program, with a literacy rate now exceeding 98 percent. This significant accomplishment means the state has met the stringent literacy benchmarks set by the Union Ministry of Education, which define full literacy as the ability to read, write, and compute with comprehension, along with critical life skills like digital and financial literacy, and requires at least 95 percent literacy for a state or Union Territory to be recognized as fully literate. The state government attributed this success to sustained efforts and public participation, with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami emphasizing a continued commitment to ensuring digital, financial, and continuing education reach all citizens, a vision aligned with Viksit Bharat 2047 and the ULLAS program's aim to provide lifelong learning opportunities, particularly for adults aged 15 and above who missed formal schooling and disadvantaged groups.

Uttarakhand has officially become the sixth fully literate state in India, achieving this milestone under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the ULLAS program, with a literacy rate now exceeding 98 percent. This significant accomplishment means the state has met the stringent literacy benchmarks set by the Union Ministry of Education, which define full literacy as the ability to read, write, and compute with comprehension, along with critical life skills like digital and financial literacy, and requires at least 95 percent literacy for a state or Union Territory to be recognized as fully literate. The state government attributed this success to sustained efforts and public participation, with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami emphasizing a continued commitment to ensuring digital, financial, and continuing education reach all citizens, a vision aligned with Viksit Bharat 2047 and the ULLAS program's aim to provide lifelong learning opportunities, particularly for adults aged 15 and above who missed formal schooling and disadvantaged groups.

Uttarakhand achieved a major milestone on Wednesday by becoming the sixth fully literate state in India under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the ULLAS (Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society) programme.

According to officials, the state has met the literacy benchmarks set by the Department of School Education and Literacy under the Union Ministry of Education. On July 8, Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd) approved the proposal to officially declare Uttarakhand a fully literate state.

With this achievement, Uttarakhand joins Mizoram, Goa, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, and Sikkim in the list of fully literate states in the country.

Describing the achievement as a "milestone" for the state, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the government's sustained efforts, coupled with active public participation, played a crucial role in attaining full literacy. He added that such collective efforts would significantly contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

"Furthermore, the government will continue to work with full commitment to ensure that digital literacy, financial literacy, continuing education, and life skills reach every citizen," Dhami said.

State Education Minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat termed the achievement a proud moment for every resident of Uttarakhand. He said the government remains committed to ensuring quality and lifelong education for every citizen in line with the National Education Policy 2020.

The Uttarakhand Cabinet had approved the proposal to declare the state fully literate on June 19. According to officials, Uttarakhand's literacy rate currently stands at over 98 per cent, enabling it to meet the criteria prescribed under the ULLAS programme.

How a state becomes "fully literate"

According to the Department of School Education and Literacy, literacy is defined as "the ability to read, write and compute with comprehension — that is, to identify, understand, interpret and create — along with critical life skills such as digital literacy and financial literacy."

Under the ULLAS (Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society) programme, a state or Union Territory that achieves 95 per cent literacy is considered fully literate.

As part of the programme, states and Union territories conduct the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT) to evaluate learners' proficiency in three core areas: reading with comprehension, writing, and numeracy.

According to government data, 1.49 crore learners have become neo-literate under ULLAS, including 1.01 crore women, reflecting the programme's focus on improving adult literacy across the country.

Aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, ULLAS targets adults aged 15 years and above who missed formal schooling. The scheme places special emphasis on reaching learners in educationally backward rural and urban areas, as well as women, persons with special needs, and other disadvantaged groups.