India Expands Literacy Initiatives Towards The Goal Of Full Literacy
Source: PIB
GS II: Education, Human Resources, Government Policies and Interventions
Overview
- India has made significant progress in literacy, with the literacy rate rising substantially since Independence, although rural-urban and gender disparities continue to remain.
- Literacy is expanding beyond basic reading and writing to include foundational learning, digital and financial literacy, critical life skills and lifelong learning.
- Government initiatives such as ULLAS, NIPUN Bharat, Samagra Shiksha, PM SHRI, PM e-VIDYA and PM POSHAN aim to improve adult literacy, foundational learning, enrolment, retention and learning outcomes.
- Literacy is central to Viksit Bharat and SDG 4, contributing to human capital, women’s empowerment, social inclusion, employability, productivity and sustainable development.
Why in the News?
The PIB highlighted India’s progress towards universal literacy and the role of initiatives such as NEP 2020, ULLAS, and NIPUN Bharat in expanding literacy, foundational learning, adult education and lifelong learning.
News in Brief
- India’s literacy rate increased from 18.32% in 1951 to 74.04% in 2011, with significant improvement in female and rural literacy.
- According to PLFS 2025, India’s overall literacy rate was 81.1%; urban literacy was higher than rural literacy, while gender disparities persist.
- ULLAS focuses on adult literacy for those aged 15 years and above, combining functional literacy, numeracy, critical life skills and lifelong learning.
- NIPUN Bharat seeks to achieve foundational literacy and numeracy by 2026–27, while schemes such as Samagra Shiksha, PM SHRI, PM e-VIDYA and PM POSHAN support school education.
Key Highlights
Changing Understanding of Literacy
- The Ministry of Education defines literacy as the ability to read, write and compute with comprehension, along with critical life skills such as digital and financial literacy.
- A literacy rate of 95% in a State/UT is considered equivalent to full literacy.
- Thus, literacy is increasingly viewed not merely as the ability to read and write, but as a foundation for meaningful participation in economic and social life.
Progress in Literacy
- Overall literacy increased from 18.32% in 1951 to 74.04% in 2011.
- Female literacy increased from 8.86% to 65.46% during the same period.
- Rural literacy rose from 12.10% in 1951 to 67.8% in 2011.
- According to PLFS 2025, overall literacy reached 81.1%.
However, the rural-urban and male-female gaps indicate that universal literacy requires continued attention to regional and gender disparities.
School Education
- According to UDISE+ 2025–26:
- More than 24.72 crore students were enrolled in schools.
- Secondary-stage dropout rate stood at 7%.
- Secondary-stage retention rate was 51.9%.
- The transition rate from Middle to Secondary stage was 88.3%.
- These indicators show that improving literacy also requires better retention and successful progression through successive stages of schooling.
- Higher education enrolment increased from 3.42 crore in 2014–15 to 4.50 crore in 2023–24, while the Gross Enrolment Ratio rose from 23.7% to 30%.
- This supports the NEP 2020 objective of achieving a 50% higher education GER by 2035.
Key Government Initiatives for Advancing Literacy
ULLAS-Adult Literacy
- ULLAS (Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society), or the New India Literacy Programme, targets adults aged 15 years and above who missed formal schooling.
- ULLAS’s vision is ‘Jan Jan Saakshar’, empowering every individual through literacy.
- It follows the spirit of ‘Kartavya Bodh’ (Duty).
- It promotes volunteerism and Janbhagidari, or community participation, to achieve universal literacy.
- It provides functional literacy and numeracy, critical life skills, digital and lifelong learning opportunities, and community-based learning through volunteers.
- The programme uses a hybrid approach through the ULLAS App, available in 27 languages, and culminates in the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT) and certification.
- ULLAS aims to cover 5 crore learners during 2022–27. It has around 4.03 crore registered learners, over 52.20 lakh volunteers, and more than 3.3 crore FLNAT participants.
NIPUN Bharat
- NIPUN Bharat (National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy) was launched in July 2021 under Samagra Shiksha.
- It aims to achieve universal foundational literacy and numeracy by 2026-27, with a focus on children in the 3-8 years age group and foundational skills by Grade 2.
Other Supporting Initiatives
- Samagra Shiksha
- It focuses on enhancing school effectiveness and ensuring equal opportunities for schooling to improve learning outcomes.
- The scheme is aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG-4) on education.
- The scheme promotes equitable, inclusive, and quality education, with a focus on foundational learning, teacher development, and vocational integration.
- Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI)
- It seeks to strengthen more than 14,500 exemplar schools across the country.
- The scheme focuses on the holistic and well-rounded development of students by fostering an equitable, inclusive, and joyful learning environment that addresses diverse backgrounds, multilingual needs, and varied academic abilities.
- PM e-VIDYA
- It is a comprehensive initiative that brings together various efforts related to digital, online, and on-air education to provide multi-mode access to learning.
- The initiative is expected to benefit nearly 25 crore school-going children across the country.
- PM POSHAN
- It is a centrally sponsored scheme that provides hot cooked meals to school children to support nutrition and school participation.
Together, these initiatives create an enabling environment that enhances enrolment, retention, and learning outcomes. They also address literacy across age groups and learning stages, strengthening foundational education, adult literacy and lifelong learning.
Literacy for Viksit Bharat and Sustainable Development
- The SDGs provide a comprehensive framework for promoting a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable future for all.
- Literacy and education are central to SDG 4, which seeks to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning opportunities for all.
- Literacy is closely associated with GDP and per capita income and contributes to economic growth and national development.
- For India, a literate, educated and skilled population is essential for achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat.
- Its benefits extend beyond education
- Literacy promotes women’s empowerment, equality, social inclusion and human rights, while also strengthening innovation and economic participation.
- Education and skills can further support green employment, the circular economy and environmental sustainability.
- Therefore, improving literacy can create multiplier effects across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and contribute to more inclusive, sustainable and broad-based development.
Conclusion
India’s literacy journey has moved from achieving basic reading and writing skills towards foundational learning, digital literacy, lifelong education and skill development.
Sustained implementation of NEP 2020, ULLAS and NIPUN Bharat, along with greater attention to gender and regional disparities, can strengthen the human-capital foundation of Viksit Bharat.
UPSC Prelims and Mains Practice Question
With reference to literacy initiatives in India, consider the following statements:
- ULLAS focuses on adult learners aged 15 years and above.
- NIPUN Bharat aims to achieve universal foundational literacy and numeracy by 2026–27.
- A State/UT achieving 95% literacy is considered fully literate under the Ministry of Education’s definition.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3
Mains Practice Question
Q) Literacy in contemporary India extends beyond the ability to read and write. Discuss the role of foundational learning, adult education and digital literacy in achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat. (250 words)
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