Uttarakhand: India’s sixth fully literate state under NEP 2020

Uttarakhand has achieved a major milestone in its educational journey by becoming India’s sixth fully literate state, marking a significant step towards the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the ULLAS (Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society) – New India Literacy Programme.
According to agency reports,the declaration came after the state successfully met all adult literacy benchmarks prescribed by the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education. Following the fulfilment of these standards, Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd) accorded approval on July 8 to officially declare Uttarakhand a fully literate state.With this achievement, Uttarakhand joins the ranks of Mizoram, Goa, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim, which had earlier attained the status of fully literate states, reinforcing its position among India's leading performers in the education sector.

Dehradun | Uttarakhand Becomes India’s Sixth Fully Literate State Under NEP 2020 and ULLAS Programme

Uttarakhand has achieved a historic milestone in the field of education by becoming the sixth fully literate state in India under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the…

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) July 8, 2026

Welcoming the achievement, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami described it as a landmark moment for the state, attributing the success to the government's sustained efforts and the active participation of citizens.He said the accomplishment reflects the collective commitment of the people of Uttarakhand towards education and would play an important role in realising the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.The Chief Minister reaffirmed the state's commitment to ensuring that every citizen has access not only to basic literacy but also to digital literacy, financial literacy, lifelong learning and essential life skills. He congratulated the people of Uttarakhand for contributing to the historic achievement.

आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi जी के कुशल नेतृत्व एवं डबल इंजन सरकार के सतत प्रयासों से उत्तराखण्ड ने शिक्षा के क्षेत्र में एक और ऐतिहासिक उपलब्धि हासिल करते हुए उल्लास (ULLAS) – नव भारत साक्षरता कार्यक्रम के अंतर्गत देश का छठा पूर्ण साक्षर राज्य बनने का गौरव प्राप्त किया…

— Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) July 8, 2026

State Education Minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat termed the recognition a matter of immense pride for every resident of the state. He said the government remains committed to providing quality education and lifelong learning opportunities to all citizens in line with the objectives of NEP 2020, adding that the milestone would further strengthen Uttarakhand's journey towards becoming a developed state.Secretary, School Education, Ravinath Raman, said universal literacy forms the foundation of social and economic development. He noted that the ULLAS programme has helped make education accessible to every section of society, enabling the state to achieve complete literacy.Director General of School Education Akanksha Kondecredited the achievement to the coordinated efforts of district administrations, development blocks, teachers, volunteers, literacy motivators and local communities. She said the government would continue to improve educational quality while expanding opportunities for lifelong learning.Director of Elementary Education Kunwar Singh Rawat said Uttarakhand had successfully met all literacy benchmarks prescribed by the Government of India and would continue to focus on digital education, life skills and continuous learning in the years ahead.
The achievement is the result of coordinated efforts by the Uttarakhand Government, the School Education Department, Samagra Shiksha, district administrations, local bodies, volunteer teachers and literacy campaign workers. Regular monitoring, widespread public participation and effective implementation of the ULLAS programme across all districts played a crucial role in achieving full literacy.The ULLAS programme aims not only to make non-literate adults literate but also to equip them with digital literacy, financial literacy, life skills and opportunities for lifelong education. The milestone marks a significant contribution towards achieving the objectives of NEP 2020 while advancing India's vision of an inclusive and knowledge-driven Viksit Bharat.