Himachal Pradesh declared fully literate state: CM says dropout rate nearly zero

SHIMLA: Declaring Himachal Pradesh a "fully literate state," Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday announced that the state has reached a 99.3 per cent literacy rate, higher than the national benchmark of 95 per cent.

Making the announcement on International Literacy Day, during Ullas Mela 2025, held in Shimla, he said that the state also ranks first in the country in terms of student-teacher ratio.

"The journey from a minimal literacy rate of around seven per cent to a fully literate state had been full of challenges, yet the State had consistently moved forward with the aim of providing quality education," he said in a statement.

Emphasising continuous reforms in line with modern requirements, the CM said many positive changes will be introduced in the education sector in the coming years, and the government institutions would be transformed into centres of excellence.

Education Minister Rohit Thakur recalled that after independence, the state was among the lowest in the country in terms of literacy.

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He said the successive governments worked hard and now Himachal has reached the top position in India, adding that the dropout rate in the state has now come down to almost zero. Education Secretary Rakesh Kanwar said that Himachal had fulfilled the various criteria required for being declared a fully literate state.

He said that capacities in the education sector would continue to be enhanced to meet future challenges effectively. Voluntary teachers and newly literate individuals also shared their experiences during the programme.

Over the past three decades, women's groups, youth clubs, voluntary organisations and NGOs played a significant role towards reaching this literacy rate, Kanwar said.