Shimla: Himachal Pradesh is all set to achieve a historic milestone by being declared a fully literate state on September 8.
State’s education minister Rohit Thakur, who held a meeting to make preparations for the event, said the Centre has communicated to the state that it fulfils all requisite parameters of literacy to place itself among the top achievers in the country’s literacy mission.
The announcement comes after sustained efforts by the government, voluntary organisations, teachers, and communities that worked hand-in-hand to ensure education reached the remotest corners of the hill state, he admitted when contacted over the phone.
The literacy ratio in Himachal Pradesh has steadily risen over the past decades. From less than 30 per cent in the 1970s, the state has today bridged the gap to reach near-total literacy.
Thakur said this transformation has been driven by several factors: the government’s emphasis on universal primary education, expansion of schools to rural and tribal areas, promotion of adult literacy programmes, and active involvement of women’s groups and local panchayats.
Campaigns under ‘Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan’ and the National Literacy Mission gave a fresh boost to enrolment and retention. Evening schools, bridge classes for dropouts, and digital literacy drives brought education to the margins. Women, once the most disadvantaged, have turned into the biggest success story, with female literacy now rivalling men in many districts.
Amongst different achievements, says a senior official of the education department, education has empowered rural communities, enhanced employability, reduced gender disparities, and opened opportunities in governance and entrepreneurship.