Shimla: Himachal Pradesh has received a national-level honour for its remarkable achievement in attaining fully literate state status under the New India Literacy Programme (ULLAS).
Education Minister Rohit Thakur received the honour on behalf of the state at a function held in New Delhi on the occasion of International Literacy Day.
Rohit Thakur said Himachal Pradesh has achieved a literacy rate of 99.55 percent, making it the second-highest literate state in the country, after Goa, which has recorded a literacy rate of 99.7 percent. The state was declared fully literate on September 8, 2025, with a literacy rate of 99.3 percent at the time.
The Minister said the achievement was the result of sustained efforts by the state government, Education Department, teachers, volunteer teachers, learners and people across Himachal Pradesh.
94,930 learners registered under ULLAS
Rohit Thakur said the ULLAS programme, launched nationally in 2022-23 and implemented in Himachal Pradesh from 2023-24, has covered all 12 districts of the state.
A total of 94,930 learners have been identified and registered on the ULLAS portal, while 19,232 volunteer teachers have also registered and undergone training to support the literacy programme.
The state has conducted three Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Tests (FLNATs) to measure the progress of learners.
In the first assessment conducted in September 2024, 14,516 of 15,351 candidates passed, recording a pass percentage of 94.6 percent. In the second assessment in March 2025, 28,062 of 28,534 candidates passed, with the pass percentage rising to 98.3 percent.
The third assessment, conducted in March 2026, saw 17,318 of 17,657 candidates pass, recording a pass percentage of 98.1 percent.
Overall, 61,542 learners were assessed through the three tests, of whom 59,896 passed, resulting in an overall pass percentage of 97.3 percent.
Major improvement in education rankings
The Education Minister also highlighted Himachal Pradesh’s progress in the quality of school education.
As per the Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0, the state has improved its national ranking from 13th to sixth position and ranks third among states.
National assessments, including NAS/PARAKH, have also placed Himachal Pradesh fifth nationally in learning outcomes, compared with 21st position in 2021.
Thakur said these improvements reflect the qualitative changes taking place in the state’s education system and demonstrate the impact of reforms aimed at strengthening learning outcomes.
Target of 100% literacy
With the state having achieved fully literate status, the government will now focus on sustaining literacy while promoting lifelong learning, digital literacy and vocational skills under ULLAS.
The state government has set a target of achieving 100 percent literacy during 2026-27.
Rohit Thakur said the government would continue implementing progressive reforms and work towards providing quality, equitable and future-oriented learning opportunities to every student.
He expressed gratitude to teachers, volunteer teachers, learners, officials and all others involved in the literacy campaign, saying their collective efforts had helped Himachal Pradesh emerge as one of the country’s leading states in literacy and education.
