Himachal Pradesh declared ‘fully literate’: Literacy jumps from 7% to 99.3%, student-teacher ratio tops India

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced on Monday that the state has achieved a major educational milestone by being declared a ‘Fully Literate State’.

CM Sukhu announced the feat on International Literacy Day at Puran Sakshar Himachal Samaroh and Ullaas Mela-2025 in Shimla during the celebrations of Puran Sakshar Himachal Samaroh and Ullaas Mela-2025. The programme was organised by the Directorate of School Education and witnessed participation from officials, volunteers, teachers, and community groups, according to a report by The Indian Express.

The CM said Himachal had achieved this milestone much earlier than expected, making it a proud moment for every citizen. “From a literacy rate of around 7 per cent after Independence, Himachal steadily progressed to 99.30 per cent, surpassing the national benchmark of 95 per cent,” the CM said.

Sukhu highlighted that Himachal now ranks first in India in terms of student-teacher ratio, ensuring better attention to every student. He promised that government schools would be further strengthened and transformed into centres of excellence with world-class infrastructure.

During the event, Sukhu also honoured volunteers, teachers, and officials who contributed to the New India Literacy Programme ‘ULLAS,’ under which several campaigns have been run across the state. He later visited the exhibition held as part of the literacy day celebrations.

Education Minister Rohit Thakur called this achievement a golden chapter in the state’s history and recalled how Himachal once ranked among the lowest in literacy, but with continuous efforts, it emerged as a leader.

Thakur also mentioned that the school dropout rate has now dropped to nearly zero, and announced new plans to make education more accessible and impactful.

Union Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar, in a video message, congratulated Himachal and emphasised on the need to promote skill-based learning so that newly literate citizens can use their education meaningfully.

State Education Secretary Rakesh Kanwar also confirmed that all criteria for declaring Himachal a fully literate state had been met and pledged that the education system would continue to be strengthened further.

Director of School Education Ashish Kohli shared details about the ULLAS Mela programmes and achievements. Volunteers, women’s groups, and newly literate citizens were also honoured for their dedication over the past three decades, which has made this milestone possible.