New Delhi: Chief Minister of Mizoram, Lalduhoma, on Tuesday officially declared Mizoram a fully literate state, following which it has become the first state in India to attain full literacy.
According to the Ministry of Education, the announcement was made during a special function held in Aizawl on Tuesday. Mizoram, which attained statehood on February 20, 1987, spans a geographical area of 21,081 km² (8,139 sq mi). As per the 2011 Census, it recorded a literacy rate of 91.33 per cent, ranking third in India. Building on this strong foundation, the ULLAS–Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram (New India Literacy Programme) was implemented to identify and educate the remaining non-literate individuals.
A door-to-door survey conducted by Cluster Resource Centre Coordinators (CRCCs) across the state in August–September 2023 identified 3,026 non-literates. Out of these, 1,692 learners were actively engaged in teaching-learning activities. By this account, Mizoram had crossed the full literacy mark, above a 95 per cent literacy rate (to be considered equivalent to full literacy) as defined by the Ministry of Education. As per the PFLS survey for 2023-24, the literacy rate of Mizoram is 98.20 per cent, the ministry stated.
In a remarkable display of community spirit, 292 volunteer teachers—including students, educators, resource persons, and CRCCs—came forward to lead this initiative. Guided by a profound sense of duty (Kartavya Bodh) and the Mizo cultural value, these volunteers played a crucial role in achieving full literacy, it added.
ULLAS-Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram or New India Literacy Programme (NILP) is a centrally sponsored scheme implemented from 2022-2027. The scheme, aligned with NEP 2020, targets adults (aged 15 years and above) who couldn’t go to school. The scheme has five components-Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, Critical Life Skills, Basic Education, Vocational Skills and Continuing Education.
The vision of the ULLAS Scheme is to make Bharat Jan Jan Saakshar and is based on the spirit of Kartavya Bodh, and is being implemented through volunteerism. Under the ULLAS scheme, more than 1.77 crore learners (neo-literates) have appeared in the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT) till now across the country. More than 2.37 crore learners and 40.84 lakh volunteer teachers have been registered on the ULLAS Mobile app. Earlier, on 24.06.2024, Ladakh became the first administrative unit to declare full literacy, the ministry mentioned in its statement.
