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Lakshadweep declared a 100% literate UT under ULLAS after all 1,113 identified adult non-literates cleared the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT).
UPSC Relevance
Prelims – ULLAS-Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram
Mains – GS2: Government policies and interventions, issues relating to development of education and human resources, welfare schemes for vulnerable sections
What ‘literate’ and ‘fully literate state/UT’ mean ?
- Literate – In August 2024, the Ministry of Education defined literacy as the ability to read, write and compute with comprehension, along with critical life skills like digital and financial literacy. Merely signing one’s name no longer counts.
- Fully literate State/UT – One that achieves 95% or more literacy among people aged 15+. The 5% margin accepts that some people cannot become literate due to very old age, illness or intellectual disability.
ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram
- Full form – ULLAS stands for Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society. It is also called the New India Literacy Programme (NILP).
- Nature – A Centrally Sponsored Scheme of the Ministry of Education (Department of School Education and Literacy), running from 2022-23 to 2026-27.
- Outlay – Rs 1,037.90 crore for the five years, shared between the Centre and States.
- Target – 5 crore non-literates aged 15 years and above – roughly 1 crore every year.
- Alignment – Built on NEP 2020, which calls for 100% youth and adult literacy, and on SDG target 4.6 (all youth and a substantial share of adults to achieve literacy and numeracy by 2030).
- Five components
- Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) – Reading, writing and arithmetic with understanding.
- Critical Life Skills – Financial literacy, digital literacy, legal literacy, health care, family welfare, and disaster management.
- Basic Education – Equivalency at preparatory, middle and secondary stage for those who want to continue.
- Vocational Skills – Skills that help neo-literates find work or improve incomes.
- Continuing Education – Courses in arts, science, culture and sports for lifelong learning.
States/UTs declared fully literate under ULLAS – 11
| Ladakh (UT) | First region in India declared fully literate under ULLAS. |
| Mizoram | First State under ULLAS; literacy about 98.2%. |
| Goa | Literacy about 99.7%. |
| Tripura | Crossed 95%; learning material in Bengali, English and Kokborok. |
| Himachal Pradesh | Literacy 99.3%. The State had only about 7% literacy at Independence. |
| Chandigarh (UT) | Literacy about 99.9%. |
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands (UT) | Island UT; outreach to scattered settlements. |
| Sikkim | Literacy 99.82% – highest among ULLAS-certified regions. |
| Uttarakhand | Literacy 98.7% (up from 83.8% in 2023-24); about 25,000 volunteers reached remote hill villages. |
| Jammu & Kashmir (UT) | Largest population to get the tag; 1.78 lakh of 1.80 lakh identified learners (99.09%) cleared FLNAT. |
| Lakshadweep (UT) | All 1,113 identified adult non-literates cleared FLNAT; declared 100% literate. |
Practice MCQ
Q1. With reference to ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram, consider the following statements:
- It targets non-literate persons aged 15 years and above.
- It is a Central Sector Scheme fully funded by the Union Government.
- Learners who clear the FLNAT are certified jointly by NIOS and the Department of School Education and Literacy.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Answer: (b). Statement 2 is incorrect. ULLAS is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, with costs shared between the Centre and States.
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