Himachal Pradesh honoured for achieving fully literate state status
Education Minister Rohit Thakur today received the national-level honour on behalf of Himachal Pradesh at a function held in New Delhi on the occasion of International Literacy Day, recognizing the state’s remarkable achievement for achieving fully literate state status under the New India Literacy Programme (ULLAS).
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 (99.7 percent). The state was declared fully literate on 8 September, 2025, with a literacy rate of 99.3 percent.
He said the achievement reflected the sustained efforts of the state Government, Education Department, teachers, volunteers and people of the state. He said the progress in education has been strengthened by a series of reforms and initiatives undertaken by the present state government under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, with emphasis on quality education and improved learning outcomes.
He said that under ULLAS, which was launched nationally in 2022-23 and implemented in Himachal Pradesh from 2023-24, the programme 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 been registered and trained.
The State Government conducted three Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Tests (FLNATs). In the first assessment held in September 2024, 14,516 out of 15,351 candidates passed, recording a pass percentage of 94.6 percent. In the second assessment held in March 2025, 28,062 out of 28,534 candidates passed, with a pass percentage of 98.3 percent. In the third assessment conducted in March 2026, 17,318 out of 17,657 candidates passed, recording a pass percentage of 98.1 percent. Overall, 61,542 learners were assessed, of whom 59,896 passed, giving an overall pass percentage of 97.3 percent.
The Minister said Himachal Pradesh has also made significant gains in the quality of school education. As per the Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0, the state has moved from 13th to 6th position nationally and ranks third among states. National assessments such as NAS/PARAKH have also placed Himachal Pradesh fifth nationally in learning outcomes, a substantial improvement from 21st position in 2021. He said that these assessments reflect the qualitative improvements being made in the state’s education system.
He said the focus would now be on sustaining literacy and 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 state government would continue to pursue progressive reforms and strive for excellence in education, ensuring quality, equitable and future-oriented learning opportunities for every student.
He expressed gratitude to all teachers, volunteers, learners, officials and all those associated, whose collective efforts have contributed to making Himachal Pradesh a leading state in literacy and education.
