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

Sikkim has officially been declared India’s fifth fully literate state under the central government’s ULLAS initiative, recording an impressive literacy rate of 99.82%. The landmark declaration was made by Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang in the presence of President Droupadi Murmu during the 7th convocation ceremony of Sikkim University in Gangtok.

Standing for 'Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society,' this initiative aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, focusing on functional literacy, adult education, and critical digital and financial life skills. Sikkim is the fifth state in India to achieve full literacy under this framework and the third state in Northeast India to reach this target, joining Mizoram, Goa, Tripura, and Himachal Pradesh.

The literacy campaign successfully surveyed 15,361 non-literate adults, enabling 14,447 individuals to secure official literacy certificates through the National Institute of Open Schooling.

As of May 2026, five Indian states have been officially recognised as fully literate under the Union Government’s ULLAS (Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society) initiative. Along with Sikkim, the list includes Goa, which has achieved 100% functional literacy, Himachal Pradesh with 99.3%, Mizoram with 98.2%, and Tripura with 95.6%. These states have met the literacy benchmarks prescribed under the programme, marking a significant milestone in India’s efforts to promote adult education and lifelong learning.

Under the Ministry of Education’s framework, a state is recognised as “fully literate” once its literacy rate among individuals aged 15 and above surpasses the national benchmark of 95%.

The article has been written by Amatallah Waheed, interning with Deccan Chronicle