At 99.55% literacy, Himachal becomes 2nd-most literate state, earns national award

Himachal Pradesh has achieved a 99.55 per cent literacy rate under the New India Literacy Programme (ULLAS) and has received a national award for its achievement on International Literacy Day.Education Minister Rohit Thakur received the honour on behalf of the state in Delhi on Tuesday and thanked teachers, students and government officials for helping Himachal reach the milestone.The state now has its next target in sight: 100 per cent literacy during 2026-27.FROM 99.3% TO 99.55%Himachal Pradesh was declared fully literate on September 8, 2025, when its literacy rate stood at 99.3 per cent.The latest figure of 99.55 per cent puts the state second nationally, behind Goa, which has a literacy rate of 99.7 per cent, according to the state government.ULLAS, launched nationally in 2022, focusses on providing basic education and functional literacy to non-literate adults aged 15 years and above.In Himachal Pradesh, the programme was implemented from 2023–24 and has now covered all 12 districts.THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE NUMBERThe literacy figure is backed by a network of learners and volunteers.According to Thakur, 94,930 learners have been identified and registered on the ULLAS portal across the state.

At the same time, 19,232 volunteer teachers have registered and received training to support the programme.The numbers show that the programme involved not only government systems but also teachers and volunteers working directly with learners.The national recognition therefore comes as an acknowledgement of the wider effort behind the state's literacy push.WHAT COMES AFTER LITERACY?For Himachal Pradesh, reaching 99.55 per cent is not being treated as the finish line.The state government now plans to focus on sustaining literacy while expanding opportunities for lifelong learning, digital literacy and vocational skills under ULLAS.The larger goal is to ensure that people who have gained basic literacy can continue building skills that are useful in everyday life and work.With a 100 per cent literacy target set for 2026-27, Himachal Pradesh is now looking to close the remaining gap of 0.45 percentage points.For a state that has already crossed the 99 per cent mark, the final stretch may be small in numbers, but it remains the next major challenge.(With PTI inputs)- EndsPublished By: Princy ShuklaPublished On: Sep 9, 2026 12:17 ISTRead | India's literacy rate rose to 80.9% in 2023–24: Education Minister Dharmendra PradhanRead | Top Indian cities with the highest literacy rates