- Why in news
- On 29 September 2026, PIB published a explainer on literacy. It gives the Education Ministry's first formal definition of literacy and sets 95% as full literacy for a State/UT.
- What it is
- This is a PIB explainer on India's literacy progress. It brings together census and PLFS literacy data, UDISE+ school data and adult and early-grade programmes such as ULLAS and NIPUN Bharat. Literacy is tied to NEP 2020 and SDG 4.
- ULLAS
- ULLAS, also called the New India Literacy Programme, is a centrally sponsored scheme for adults aged 15 and above who missed formal schooling. Learners take the FLNAT for certification.
- ULLAS target and outlay
- The scheme aims to cover 5 crore learners during 2022-27 with an outlay of ₹1,037.90 crore.
- Fully literate States/UTs
- Ten States/UTs declared themselves fully literate between 2024 and 2026, including Ladakh, Mizoram, Goa and Tripura.
Don’t confuse with Census vs PLFS literacy: Census 2011 gives 74.04% (age 7+). PLFS 2025 gives 81.1%. They are different sources and years, so do not mix them.
Don’t confuse with ULLAS vs NIPUN Bharat: ULLAS is for adults aged 15+. NIPUN Bharat is for children aged 3 to 8 in the foundational stage.
Reports and indices: 14 Prelims questions since 2013; they test who publishes a report and what it measures.
Why it matters
- A formal definition including digital and financial skills widens literacy beyond reading and writing.
- Literacy supports SDG 4, women's empowerment and employability.
Problems
- Gender and rural-urban gaps persist: PLFS 2025 shows rural female literacy at 70.3% against urban male 93.1%.
- Secondary-stage retention is only 51.9%, and the 95% threshold is a administrative benchmark, not UNESCO's.
Way forward
- Target regional and gender disparities with sustained implementation.
- Link adult literacy with foundational learning and skills.
Put in your answer
Higher education target: NEP 2020 targets a 50% higher education GER by 2035.
- 2020Mains GS2 · Q18Critically examine NEP 2020's conformity with SDG-4 target
- 2020Mains GS4 · Q1Examine NEP 2020 as tool for development and social transformation
- 2022Mains GS2 · Q18Analyse RTE Act 2009's inadequacy in promoting incentive-based schooling awareness
- 1997Prelims Q12Order states Mizoram, Kerala, Goa, Nagaland by 1991 female literacy
- 2003Prelims Q74Which State had highest female literacy rate in Census 2001?
- 2006Prelims Q72Census 2001 literacy: Kerala's gender gap, Rajasthan vs national average
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Explainer on literacy; the 95% threshold for full literacy is a standing fact. Background feature, not a fresh decision, so no practice question.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.