Sikkim Becomes India’s Fifth Fully Literate State Under ULLAS Initiative

The state of Sikkim has officially been declared as the fully literate state under the ULLAS (Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society) initiative. This announced in the august presence of Honorable President Droupadi Murmu during the convocation ceremony of Sikkim University in Gangtok. After this compliment, Sikkim has become the fifth fully literate state in India and third state in the Northeast region to achieve this status.

Sikkim Becomes India’s Fifth Fully Literate State

Sikkim’s declaration as a fully literate state marks the historic moment in the country’s education sector.

The state now joins an elite group comprising the,

• Mizoram
• Goa
• Tripura
• Himachal Pradesh
• Sikkim

Among the northeastern states Sikkim is the third state to achieve the full literacy.

Mizoram was the first state in India to reach that milestone.

What is the ULLAS Initiative?

The literacy achievement was accomplished under the ULLAS – Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society.

ULLAS is part of the,

Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram

This program was launched by the Ministry of Education in alignment with the the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020

Its primary objective is to promote the,

• Adult education
• Functional literacy
• Lifelong learning
• Skill development
• Basic reading and writing abilities

The scheme mainly targets the those Citizens who are aged 15 years and above

Why Full Literacy Matters

Literacy is just more than the ability to read and write.

It directly influences the,

• Employment opportunities
• Economic empowerment
• Social equality
• Health awareness
• Civic participation
• Women empowerment

Respectable Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) had described literacy as the ‘Foundation of empowerment, self-confidence, social equality and progress.”

How Sikkim Achieved the Milestone

According to the state government, the literacy mission has reached to the,

• Remote villages
• Gram Panchayats
• Rural communities
• Elderly learners
• Marginalized populations

The campaign involved the,

• Volunteer teachers
• Coordinators
• Education department officials
• Community participation

Role of Community Participation

The success of the Sikkim’s literacy campaign was driven by the grassroots involvement.

The state government acknowledged the,

• Teachers
• Volunteers
• Social workers
• Local coordinators
• Community organizations

This collective effort helped to spread the literacy awareness even in difficult geographical terrains.