'Historic Moment': Mizoram Declared India's First Fully Literate State

Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma announced on Tuesday (20 May) that the state has officially a become fully literate state, Indian Express reported.

The declaration was made in the presence of Union Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary during a programme held in Aizawl.

“Today marks a historic moment in the journey of our state — one that will be remembered by generations to come… We celebrate this day not as the end of a campaign, but as the dawn of a new era of opportunity, empowerment, and inclusion… We also renew our commitment to sustaining literacy through continuous education, digital access, and vocational skill training,” Lalduhoma said, as quoted by the Indian Express.

"Today, we proudly declared Mizoram as the first fully literate state under the visionary Ullas – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram. Congratulations to the people of Mizoram and Hon’ble CM @PuLalduhoma for this achievement," Chaudhary said in a post on X.

Mizoram had a literacy rate of 91.3 per cent according to the 2011 Census, ranking third highest in India at the time. A state is recognised as fully literate by the Ministry of Education once it surpasses 95 per cent literacy.

A recent government initiative, led by Cluster Resource Centre Coordinators (CRCCs), identified 3,026 non-literate individuals aged 15 and above during a door-to-door survey conducted in August and September 2023.

Of these, 1,692 were enrolled in learning programmes, pushing the literacy rate to 98.2 per cent.

To support this effort, the State Centre for Literacy (SCL) was established under the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT).

It developed Mizo-language learning materials titled Vartian, and an English-language version for learners in Lawngtlai district.

Supplementary resources such as Romei for learners and Margdarshika for volunteer teachers were also created. A total of 292 volunteer teachers were deployed to teach in schools, community halls, YMA libraries, and even learners' homes.

The initiative was supported under the ULLAS (Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society) scheme, a centrally sponsored programme running from 2022 to 2027, targeting those aged 15 and above who missed formal schooling.