​Uttarakhand Declared Fully Literate State

​Uttarakhand Declared Fully Literate State as Literacy Rate Soars to 98.7%

​Dehradun: In a historic milestone for the state, Uttarakhand has officially been declared a “Fully Literate State” after recording a monumental leap in its literacy metrics over the last two years. According to reports, the state’s literacy rate has spiked by 14.9% in just two years, reaching an impressive 98.7% in 2025.

​A Massive Leap in Literacy

​Data highlights that during the academic year 2023-24, Uttarakhand’s literacy rate stood at 83.8%. Thanks to rigorous implementations under the Central Government’s Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram (also known as the ‘Ullas’ initiative), the state managed a drastic turnaround.

​Under the criteria set by the ‘Ullas’ program, any state that achieves a literacy rate higher than 95% can be designated as fully literate. Following these benchmarks, the Dhami Cabinet formally approved the proposal on Thursday to declare Uttarakhand a fully literate state.

​The Breakdown of Numbers

​The proposal, which was initially drafted and sent to the administration by the Director of Secondary Education, Dr. Mukul Kumar Sati, notes that 100% literacy is practically unachievable due to certain intellectual and physical disabilities. Therefore, a 95% threshold is considered the gold standard for full literacy.

  • ​Total Target Population (Above 7 years old): Estimated at 1 crore 23 lakh 4 thousand 601 (12.3 million) in 2025.
  • ​Remaining Illiterate Population: Only 1 lakh 31 thousand 986 individuals.
  • ​Illiteracy Percentage: A mere 1.3% of the state’s population remains illiterate, leaving 98.7% of the population literate

Under the central government’s ULLAS (Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram) initiative, a state or administrative unit is officially certified as a “Fully Literate State” once it surpasses a threshold of 95% literacy among its evaluated demographic.

​Uttarakhand became the sixth state in India to achieve this milestone. The other five states (and notable Union Territories) that have attained the “Fully Literate” status under this benchmark include:

​1. Mizoram

  • ​The Milestone: Mizoram holds the distinction of being officially declared India’s first fully literate state under the current ULLAS guidelines, achieving a verified literacy rate of 98.2%.
  • ​The Success Factor: Massive community-led mobilization, student volunteer networks, and local NGOs working directly with non-literate adults.

​2. Kerala

  • ​The Milestone: Historically India’s pioneer in literacy, Kerala consistently maintains high standards, tracking at a 95.3% literacy rate under the latest evaluation criteria.
  • ​The Success Factor: Decades of sustained government funding, high primary school enrollment, and a heavy institutional focus on women’s empowerment and education.

​3. Goa

  • ​The Milestone: Goa has achieved a certified literacy rate of 93.6% to 95%+ among its core adult demographics, crossing the official national standard to join the fully literate tier.

​4. Himachal Pradesh

  • ​The Milestone: Known for its robust public school framework in tough mountainous terrains, Himachal Pradesh has comfortably scaled past the 95% threshold under the central program.

​5. Tripura

  • ​The Milestone: Recording a literacy rate of 95.6%, Tripura’s aggressive state-level literacy campaigns over the last decade have successfully eradicated grassroots non-literacy.

​### Notable Union Territories (UTs)

  • ​Ladakh: On June 24, 2024, Ladakh earned the distinction of being the first Union Territory in India to be officially declared fully literate under the ULLAS program.
  • ​Lakshadweep: This island territory stands near the absolute top with an exceptional literacy rate of 97.3% driven by intense localized literacy drives.