Sikkim Became the Country’s 5th Fully Literate State Under the ULLAS Initiative

During the convocation ceremony of Sikkim University held in Gangtok, Sikkim was officially declared a “Fully Literate State” under the Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society (ULLAS) initiative.

This announcement was made in the gracious presence of Droupadi Murmu, making the occasion even more historic and memorable for the people of Sikkim.

Sikkim has now joined the exclusive club of fully literate states, which also includes Mizoram, Goa, Tripura, and Himachal Pradesh.

It has become the third state in Northeast India and the fifth state in the country to achieve this milestone. Mizoram was the first state in the country to achieve full literacy.

The ULLAS initiative, launched by the Ministry of Education in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, aims to promote adult education, functional literacy, and lifelong learning for individuals aged 15 years and above, while also encouraging continuous learning and skill development.

ULLAS Initiative

The “ULLAS” (New India Literacy Programme) initiative was launched on 29 July 2023 during the “Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Samagam” held in New Delhi.

It was launched by Dharmendra Pradhan, the Union Education Minister, on the occasion of the third anniversary of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The programme, which will continue until 2027, aims to empower citizens aged 15 years and above who missed formal schooling by providing them with functional literacy and essential life skills.

The programme operates through the “DIKSHA Portal” and a user-friendly mobile application. Its five main components are: Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN), Critical Life Skills, Basic Education, Vocational Skills and Continuing Education.

The programme is based on the concept of “Kartavya Bodh” (sense of duty), which encourages students, teachers, Anganwadi and ASHA workers, and community members to voluntarily work as teachers.