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Sikkim Joins Elite Club: India's Fifth Fully Literate State

May 28, 2026
its literacy standards in the coming years.

Exam-Focused Points

  • Date of declaration:  27 May 2026.

  • Place:  Seventh convocation ceremony of  Sikkim University  at Manan Kendra, Gangtok.

  • Declared by:  Chief Minister  Prem Singh Tamang  (Golay).

  • In the presence of:  President  Droupadi Murmu .

  • Literacy rate achieved:   99.82% .

  • Benchmark for full literacy:   95%  (set by Ministry of Education).

  • Sikkim is the   fifth  fully literate state in India.

  • Four other states:  Mizoram (first), Goa (second), Tripura (third), Himachal Pradesh (fourth).

  • Sikkim is the   third  fully literate state in Northeast India (after Mizoram and Tripura).

  • ULLAS stands for:  Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society.

  • ULLAS is also known as:  Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram (New India Literacy Programme).

  • ULLAS launched by:  Ministry of Education in alignment with  National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 .

  • Target group:  Citizens aged  15 years and above  who missed formal schooling.

  • Number of volunteers:  Over  4,000 .

  • Number of non-literate adults identified:  Over 15,000.

  • Number certified through FLN tests:  Over 14,000.

  • ULLAS is a centrally sponsored scheme  running from 2022 to 2027.

  • Also declared fully literate:  Union Territories of  Ladakh  and  Chandigarh .

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: When was Sikkim declared a fully literate state?
A: Sikkim was declared a fully literate state on 27 May 2026 during the seventh convocation ceremony of Sikkim University in Gangtok.

Q2: Which are the five fully literate states in India?
A: The five fully literate states are Mizoram, Goa, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, and Sikkim.

Q3: What does ULLAS stand for?
A: ULLAS stands for Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society.

Q4: How many volunteers helped Sikkim achieve full literacy?
A: More than 4,000 volunteer teachers, including government employees, school teachers, college students, and social workers, participated in the literacy campaign.

Q5: What is the national literacy benchmark for a state to be declared ‘fully literate’?
A: The Ministry of Education considers a state fully literate when its literacy level among adults crosses around 95% and identified non-literate populations are covered through literacy drives.

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