In May 2025, Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister (CM) of Goa announced that the state of Goa has officially achieved 100% literacy rate under the Government of India (GoI)’s flagship initiative, Understanding for Lifelong Learning for All in Society (ULLAS)-Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram which is also known as New India Literacy Programme (NILP).
- This announcement was made on the occasion of Goa’s 39th Statehood Day (May 30, 2025) celebrations held at Dinanath Mangeshkar Kala Mandir, Panaji in Goa.
- This marks a significant milestone in India’s journey towards achieving the goal of 100% literacy by 2030, as outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP 2020).
Key Points:
i.Goa attained a literacy rate of 99.7%, which far exceeds the benchmark of 95% required for state as completely literate, as stipulated under the NILP.
- With this, Goa becomes the 2nd Indian state after Mizoram (98.2%) to breach the mark of 95% set under NILP.
Note: In June 2024, Ladakh became the 1st Indian Union Territory (UT) to declare 100% literacy under NILP.
ii.In Goa, a total of 82 panchayats declared 100% literacy, 33 panchayats declared 95% literacy, and one municipality confirmed 99% literacy.
- A total of 6,299 illiterate individuals were identified in the remaining 76 panchayats and 13 municipalities, of these, 2,136 showed interest in learning and successfully completed the whole learning phase.
iii.As per PLFS Report 2023-24, literacy rate of Goa is at 93.60%, one of the highest in the country, with robust performance across both male and female populations.
- However, as per the state government of Goa’s own survey, the state has achieved surpassed mark of 99.72% is higher than that of Mizoram which stands at 98.2 per cent.
Key Efforts by Goa Governments under ULLAS:
i.The programme was implemented in Goa, through a network of schools, supported by Resource Adult Trainee Coordinators (RATCS) and a wide base of volunteers that included retired teachers, teacher trainees, and educational professionals.
About ULLAS-Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram:
i.It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) that aligns with NEP 2020. It is being implemented on volunteerism from 2022-2027.
ii.It is designed for individuals aged 15 and above who missed out on formal education.
iii.The programme comprises 5 main components i.e. foundational literacy and numeracy, critical life skills, basic foundation, vocational skills, and continuing education.
iv.So far, over 1.77 crore learners have appeared in the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT) under the ULLAS scheme nationwide.
- Also, over 2.40 crore learners and 41 lakh volunteer teachers have been registered on the ULLAS Mobile App.
About Goa:
Chief Minister (CM)- Pramod Sawant
Governor- P.S. Sreedharan Pillai
Capital- Panaji
Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS)- Cotigao WLS
