{"id":78791,"date":"2025-12-20T11:57:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-20T06:27:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/?p=78791"},"modified":"2025-12-20T11:57:17","modified_gmt":"2025-12-20T06:27:17","slug":"indias-quest-for-100-literacy-bihars-reluctance-and-the-ullas-challenge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/indias-quest-for-100-literacy-bihars-reluctance-and-the-ullas-challenge\/","title":{"rendered":"India\u2019s Quest for 100% Literacy &#8211;  Bihar\u2019s Reluctance and the ULLAS Challenge"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>ULLAS Latest News<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India has set an ambitious target of achieving <\/span><b>100% literacy by 2030<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, in line with the National Education Policy (<\/span><b>NEP<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) 2020 and UN Sustainable Development Goals (<\/span><b>SDG-4<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Quality Education).\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To realise this, the Union Government launched the <\/span><b>ULLAS <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8211; Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the <\/span><b>non-participation of Bihar<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014one of India\u2019s least literate states\u2014has emerged as a major obstacle.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Overview of the ULLAS Scheme<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Launched<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: It was launched in 2022 by the Union Education Ministry in line with the NEP 2020.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Target group<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Non-literate persons above 15 years of age.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Methodology to identify beneficiaries:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Door-to-door identification of non-literates<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Training in basic literacy and numeracy (Class 3 level)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Online\/offline learning modes<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mandatory assessment and certification<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Expanded definition of literacy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (as per August 2024 guidelines):<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reading, writing, and numeracy with comprehension<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Digital literacy, financial literacy, and life skills<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Benchmark: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">95% literacy treated as equivalent to 100% literacy.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Progress so Far<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Declared fully literate States\/UTs: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Himachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Goa, Tripura, Ladakh.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Likely to join soon: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At least two southern states and one UT.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Assessment of impact: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gains likely to reflect in upcoming <\/span><b>Census <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">data.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Bihar &#8211; A Major Concern<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Literacy statistics:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>PLFS 2023\u201324:\u00a0<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bihar literacy rate was<\/span><b> 74.3% <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(2nd lowest after Andhra Pradesh \u2013 72.6%), with male literacy of 82.3%, and female literacy of 66.1%.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Non-literates (15\u201359 age group): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nearly 2 crore, including 1.32 crore women.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Historical trend: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Census 2011 literacy rate was <\/span><b>61.8%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (lowest in India).<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Financial and administrative issues:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Funds released under ULLAS (2023\u201324): <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A total amount of about Rs 35 crore was approved (Central share: \u20b921 cr; State: \u20b914 cr). The first instalment of 75% of the approved amount\u2013Rs 16 crore\u2013was released as the central share to Bihar in 2023.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Issues flagged by Centre:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Funds not transferred to Single Nodal Agency (SNA)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No annual plan submitted<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Non-utilisation of funds<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7% interest penalty applicable on delayed transfers (as per Department of Expenditure norms)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Bihar\u2019s Stand &#8211; Akshar Anchal Scheme<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is a State-run literacy programme in operation for about 15 years.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Focus groups:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dalits, Mahadalits, minorities<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs)<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Women (15\u201345 age group)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>Features:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Ensuring schooling<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for children in the 6-14 age group, and <\/span><b>basic literacy and numeracy <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">among women in the 15-45 age group.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Women of the targeted groups take a test on basic literacy organised by the state every six months.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><b>State\u2019s argument:<\/b>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The scheme attracts larger financial outlay than ULLAS.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The existing institutional mechanism makes ULLAS redundant.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Key Challenges and Way Forward<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Centre\u2013State coordination deficit: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Union Education Minister urged Bihar CM to take immediate action, emphasised Bihar\u2019s role in achieving national literacy goals, and directed Bihar to utilise released funds.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Duplication vs integration of literacy schemes: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Convergence of schemes &#8211; Align Akshar Anchal with ULLAS framework.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Gender gap in literacy, especially in Bihar: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Focus on female literacy as a multiplier for social development.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Underutilisation of central funds: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Incentivise participation through performance-linked funding.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Political and administrative inertia: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strengthen cooperative federalism in education governance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Monitoring and outcome-based evaluation: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Digital and community-based learning models to reach adult learners. Robust monitoring mechanism with third-party assessments.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Conclusion<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The success of India\u2019s mission to achieve 100% literacy by 2030 critically depends on bringing laggard states like Bihar on board.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A <\/span><b>cooperative, flexible, and outcome-oriented approach<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2014rooted in NEP 2020\u2019s vision of lifelong learning\u2014is essential to transform literacy from a statistical target into a social reality.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><b>Source: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/india\/india-literacy-2030-goal-hits-bihar-wall-10427620\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><b>IE<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Though the Union Government launched the ULLAS for achieving 100% literacy by 2030, Bihar\u2019s non-participation has emerged as a major obstacle.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":78803,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[4317],"class_list":{"0":"post-78791","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-upsc-mains-current-affairs","8":"tag-ullas","9":"no-featured-image-padding"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78791","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/19"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=78791"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78791\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/78803"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=78791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=78791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vajiramandravi.com\/current-affairs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=78791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}