Guwahati, May 29: Sikkim’s formal declaration as a fully literate state under the ULLAS (Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society) initiative, a milestone the state achieved after Sikkim University expressed this ambition and began a program last year-which saw participation from several other northeastern states. It reaffirms yet another striking feature: the Northeast is quickly establishing itself as one of the strongest literacy region in the country, but education scenario within the region is far from uniform.
The state is now a part of a growing group of fully literate states such as Mizoram, Tripura, Goa, and Himachal Pradesh, having achieved 99.82% literacy rate as part of the ULLAS program and has now reached this milestone through this very program, by engaging many people in reading and writing during 2026 through local community teachers of ULLAS and thus was declared a fully literate state today by CM Prem Singh Tamang in the presence of the President, Droupadi Murmu during the 7th Convocation of Sikkim University. “It is a matter of pride for all fellow citizens, especially for the people of Sikkim that Sikkim has now been declared as a fully literate state,” the President said. This was announced during 7th Convocation ceremony of Sikkim University.
The development is attributed to the ULLAS program, launched under the National Education Policy 2020, an ambitious initiative by the Union Government aimed at strengthening adult literacy, promoting lifelong learning, and extending functional education beyond conventional schooling to people. The Union government defines a fully literate state as one with over 95% literacy rate.
While Sikkim celebrates this milestone, the success story doesn’t fully represent the entire Northeast. Data from recent literacy surveys indicate that this northeast region is rapidly dominating India’s literacy ratings. Mizoram already tops the national literacy ranking with 98.2%, followed closely by Nagaland (95.7%), Meghalaya (94.2%), Tripura (93.7%) and Manipur (92%), with five northeastern states ranking in India’s top 10 in terms of literacy rate. Education has been one of the strongest social indicators of the Northeast region for decades, outperforming many larger and wealthier states.
However, stark regional disparities also exist. Unlike Mizoram, Tripura and Sikkim that have already become or are close to being fully literate states, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam continue to lag behind significantly. As per recent assessments, the literacy rate in Arunachal Pradesh was recorded at 84.2%, while Assam remained well below the neighbouring states’ performance.
The difference is further accentuated by geographical patterns. “Considering the stereoptyped ideas about the region in terms of remoteness, difficult terrain, and poor connectivity, it is fascinating that the northeastern states have achieved such high literacy rates compared to other parts of the country,” said the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) member and northeast educator, D.M. Veino.
Reasons behind the success, according to experts, lie in effective community involvement, strong local social structures, and high regard for education in many hill states. The literacy rate in Mizoram, for instance, has widely been associated with community education and the Mizo emphasis on Tlawmngaihna, a local value system revolving around community support and service.
Tripura became fully literate as it heavily relied on volunteer teachers, local learning centers and grassroots community engagement under the ULLAS initiative. “Sikkim’s latest milestone underlines a larger shift occurring in the Indian educational landscape. The Northeast is emerging as a beacon of literacy success at a time when discussions about the region are largely centered around infrastructure, connectivity and its strategic importance,” said Veino, adding “Now the need of the hour is to address the literacy gaps within the Northeast so that its entire narrative becomes truly inclusive.
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