Mizoram Becomes India’s First Fully Literate State

This announcement was made by the chief minister of Mizoram, Lalduhoma, on Tuesday during a program held in Aizawl. 

This announcement was made in the presence of Union Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary as he congratulated the involved personnel and the people of the state for the achievement. In a post on X, he congratulated the people of Mizoram and credited this achievement to ULLAS, which is a centrally sponsored initiative, and Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram initiatives.

The Chief Minister’s Office, in a post on X, quoted him saying, "While we celebrate this milestone, we also reaffirm our dedication to maintaining literacy through ongoing education, improved digital access, and vocational training." 

Lalduhoma further added that while it is a great achievement for the state, they should now aim higher to achieve digital and financial literacy.

Important Details

How Was Full Literacy Achieved?

As of the 2011 census, the state of Mizoram was ranked third in India with a literacy rate of 91.33 percent. 

Officials stated that the ULLAS (Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society), along with the Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram, was launched to identify and educate the remaining non-literate individuals.

Using the 2011 census data, door-to-door surveys were conducted, and out of 3,026 illiterate individuals, 1,692 individuals were found to be potential learners. According to the official reports, District Project Offices recruited a total of 292 volunteer teachers who came forward to lead this initiative along with some students as well. Regular classes in schools, libraries, and even at the homes of the individuals who were unable to attend schools themselves were conducted.

This collective effort and community involvement resulted in Mizoram becoming a fully literate state by achieving a 98.2 percent literacy rate, crossing the 95 percent mark required to be recognized as a fully literate state.