Why in news?
Uttarakhand was declared India’s sixth fully literate state, and its Governor approved the proposal after the state met adult-literacy benchmarks. Officials placed literacy above 98%, and the achievement is linked with the ULLAS adult-learning programme.
Background
Literacy policy first focused mainly on reading and writing, and later programmes added numeracy, health awareness and useful life skills.
India launched the National Literacy Mission in 1988, and it promoted adult education through mass participation. The Saakshar Bharat programme followed in 2009.
The National Education Policy 2020 again stressed adult education. It called literacy a basic requirement for personal and national development.
The government then approved the New India Literacy Programme for 2022–27, and the programme is publicly known as ULLAS.
What does ULLAS mean?
ULLAS means Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society, and it is also called Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram.
It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Ministry of Education. The Department of School Education and Literacy administers it.
Its main learners are non-literate persons aged 15 years and above, and priority goes to people who missed formal schooling.
Five components of ULLAS
- Foundational literacy and numeracy develop basic reading, writing and calculation.
- Critical life skills include financial, digital, health and legal literacy.
- Basic education supports school-level equivalence for adult learners.
- Vocational skills connect learning with local livelihood opportunities.
- Continuing education supports learning in arts, science, culture and recreation.
How does the programme work?
- States identify non-literate adults and register them as learners, and volunteer teachers support learners without demanding regular school attendance.
- Teaching may occur in schools, homes or community spaces. Regional-language material is available through Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA) and the ULLAS application.
- The Online Teaching, Learning and Assessment System (OTLAS) maintains digital records.
- Learners can take the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test, and successful learners receive a government literacy certificate.
The programme targets five crore learners during 2022–27, and volunteerism helps extend the programme beyond the formal education workforce.
What does “fully literate” mean?
The expression does not always mean that every single resident is literate. The Education Ministry uses a 95% literacy benchmark for such declarations.
The declaration also concerns adult-literacy work under ULLAS, and it should not be confused with a fresh national Census figure.
State and Union Territory distinction: Uttarakhand is the sixth state. Ladakh had earlier achieved full-literacy status as a Union Territory, and it is not counted in the state sequence.
Which states came before Uttarakhand?
- Mizoram became the first state under the present benchmark.
- Goa became the second state.
- Tripura became the third state.
- Himachal Pradesh became the fourth state.
- Sikkim became the fifth state.
- Uttarakhand became the sixth state in 2026.
Why does adult literacy matter?
A literate adult can read medicine labels and official notices, and numeracy helps with wages, bank accounts and household budgets.
Digital literacy supports access to online public services. However, certification alone cannot guarantee regular use, and continuing education prevents learners from losing new skills.
Conclusion
ULLAS treats literacy as a lifelong ability, not only alphabet recognition, and Uttarakhand’s declaration marks substantial progress. Sustained learning and independent assessment remain equally important.