Sikkim is India’s fifth ‘fully literate’ State: What does it mean and which are the other States?

The recognition has been granted under ULLAS or Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram initiative launched under the NEP 2020 framework.

Sikkim has been declared “fully literate” under the Union government’s ULLAS (Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society) programme, becoming the fifth State to achieve the status after Mizoram, Goa, Tripura, and Himachal Pradesh.

The announcement was made in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu during the convocation ceremony of Sikkim University in Gangtok on Wednesday, May 27.

The recognition was granted under the ULLAS or Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram initiative launched by the Ministry of Education under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 framework.

What does ‘fully literate State’ mean?

The term “fully literate” under the ULLAS programme does not mean that every individual in the State is literate in the strict Census sense.

Instead, the certification is linked to adult literacy benchmarks under the Ministry of Education’s programme for individuals aged 15 years and above.

The programme broadly evaluates States based on:

• Basic reading and writing ability among adults

• Functional literacy, meaning the ability to apply reading, writing, and arithmetic skills in everyday life

• Basic numeracy skills

• Access to continuing education

• Vocational and skill-based learning opportunities

• Participation in lifelong learning programmes

According to the Ministry of Education’s framework, a State is generally considered “fully literate” when literacy levels among adults cross around 95% and identified non-literate populations are covered through literacy drives and educational outreach programmes.

The programme particularly focuses on adults who may have missed formal schooling earlier in life.

Which are the five fully literate States?

1. Mizoram: Mizoram became the first State in India to be declared fully literate under the ULLAS framework in 2025 with a literacy rate of 98.2%.

2. Goa: Goa was later recognised as the second fully literate State under the adult literacy framework on May 30, 2025, on its 39th Statehood day.

3. Tripura: Tripura got the tag on June 23, 2025, becoming the second northeastern State to achieve the milestone, with the literacy rate soaring to 95.6%.

4. Himachal Pradesh: Himachal Pradesh was recognised as fully literate under the ULLAS initiative with a literacy rate of 99.3% on September 8, 2025.

   Even before achieving the status, this hill State was frequently ranked among the top Indian States in school enrolment and literacy indicators.
   

5. Sikkim: With the latest announcement, Sikkim has now joined the list as the fifth fully literate State.

   Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang said the achievement reflected the State’s effort to ensure that “no adult citizen is left behind in the journey toward knowledge, dignity, empowerment, and inclusive development.”

Apart from these five States, Chandigarh and Ladakh are two Union Territories that have achieved this status under ULLAS.