Why in the News?
The PIB highlighted India’s progress towards universal literacy, including recent literacy data and government initiatives such as ULLAS and NIPUN Bharat.
Key Highlights
- India’s literacy rate increased from 18.32% in 1951 to 74.04% in 2011.
- Female literacy increased from 8.86% in 1951 to 65.46% in 2011.
- As per PLFS 2025, overall literacy rate was 81.1%.
- Urban literacy among population aged 7+ years: 89%.
- Rural literacy among population aged 7+ years: 77.4%.
- The Department of School Education and Literacy considers 95% literacy in a State/UT equivalent to full literacy.
- According to UDISE+ 2025-26, over 24.72 crore students were enrolled in schools.
- Higher education enrolment increased from 3.42 crore in 2014-15 to 4.50 crore in 2023-24.
- Higher education GER increased from 23.7% to 30% during the same period.
ULLAS
- ULLAS stands for Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society.
- Also known as New India Literacy Programme (NILP).
- Centrally sponsored scheme aligned with NEP 2020.
- Targets adults aged 15 years and above who missed formal schooling.
- Covers:
- Functional literacy
- Numeracy
- Critical life skills
- Lifelong learning
- Uses volunteerism and Janbhagidari for universal literacy.
- ULLAS App provides learning material in 27 languages.
- Learners eventually appear for the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT).
- Target: 5 crore learners during 2022-27.
- Financial outlay: ₹1,037.90 crore.
- Around 4.03 crore registered learners and over 52.20 lakh volunteers.
- More than 3.3 crore learners have participated in FLNAT.
- 10 States/UTs declared themselves fully literate between 2024 and 2026.
NIPUN Bharat
- NIPUN: National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy.
- Launched in July 2021 under Samagra Shiksha.
- Target: universal foundational literacy and numeracy by 2026-27.
- Focuses on children in the Foundational Stage, ages 3-8 years.
- Aims to ensure foundational skills by Grade 2.
Other Education Initiatives
- Samagra Shiksha: Promotes equitable and quality school education; subsumed SSA, RMSA and Teacher Education schemes.
- PM SHRI: Aims to strengthen more than 14,500 exemplar schools.
- PM e-VIDYA: Provides digital, online and on-air education; expected to benefit nearly 25 crore school-going children.
- PM POSHAN: Provides one hot cooked meal to 11.20 crore students in Bal Vatikas and Classes I-VIII across 10.36 lakh schools.
Prelims Quick Revision
- 95% literacy in a State/UT is considered equivalent to full literacy.
- India’s literacy rate: 74.04% in 2011.
- Overall literacy as per PLFS 2025: 81.1%.
- ULLAS: Adult literacy, 15+ years.
- NIPUN Bharat: Foundational literacy and numeracy, ages 3-8 years.
- ULLAS target: 5 crore learners during 2022-27.
- NIPUN Bharat target: foundational literacy and numeracy by 2026-27.
- SDG 4 focuses on inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning.
UPSC Prelims Trap
- ULLAS vs NIPUN Bharat: ULLAS focuses on adult learners aged 15+, while NIPUN Bharat focuses on foundational learning among children aged 3-8 years.
- 95% literacy is the benchmark for declaring a State/UT fully literate in the given framework, not 100%.
- ULLAS is centrally sponsored, not a standalone Central Sector scheme.
- NIPUN Bharat was launched in July 2021 under Samagra Shiksha.
