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Jammu and Kashmir have recorded a phenomenal success rate in the adult literacy programme conducted under the central government's ULLAS scheme recently, said data released by the administration showing that the union territory has registered 99.09 percent literacy rate on the assessment test. A total of 1,78,680 of the 1,80,317 non-literate people across various districts passed the examination, and now Jammu and Kashmir joins the list of states/UTs with full literacy in the country.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha congratulated everyone involved in making this possible, saying that education is indeed a powerful tool to enable people in rural and urban areas. As per the instructions, any state or union territory that registered a performance of 95 percent and above on the literacy test was declared fully literate, and scoring more than 99 percent was an astonishing achievement for a diverse region like Jammu and Kashmir with significant hilly areas.
Becoming 10th In India To Achieve Full Literacy Status -
By virtue of this fantastic performance, Jammu and Kashmir has become the 10th state/union territory to achieve full literacy status under the central government's ULLAS scheme. Besides Ladakh, Mizoram, Goa, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Sikkim, and Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir have joined the list of the most literate states in the country. Notably, it has the maximum number of people among all other states and union territories combined.
It is a stupendous effort on the part of all concerned, considering the number of people who had to be educated for this programme's successful completion. The local administration took great pains to identify the dropouts by setting up village-level teams conducting survey work door-to-door. People belonging to the older generation and working in their respective fields had enthusiastically joined the campaign, contributing significantly towards raising literacy rates. Getting people to learn to read and write their names brings a different set of emotions when witnessed by family members and friends in the locality.
Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram Targets All Ages Group For Basic Literacy Rates -
This centrally sponsored ULLAS (Universal Literacy) scheme, formally named Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram, targets every citizen belonging to the age group of 15 years and above for basic literacy and makes them capable of performing simple arithmetic operations. In addition, the volunteers conduct classes after their working hours to reach out to the people in villages and towns.
In Jammu and Kashmir, locals made sure that no efforts were spared in making the classes conducted by volunteers convenient for the attendees. The participants were taught to read and write in addition to filling out forms, writing letters, and calculating money with simple transaction-related mathematical operations. Moreover, the teaching modules were designed in such a way that all the materials provided were easily understandable by the common people, which reduced the apprehensions often felt by the older generation regarding reading and writing alongside their contemporaries.
Challenges Of Conducting Literacy Campaign In Hilly Areas Addressed Successfully -
As the entire union territory was covered under this campaign, it became mandatory to reach out to the most inaccessible parts of the territory for the smooth conduct of the survey and subsequent tests. Due to the geographical conditions, winters bring heavy rains and snowfall, which sometimes close off the roads for weeks in places such as Kupwara, Kargil, and Kishtwar border areas. Despite the climatic challenges, the district administrations continued their efforts to create awareness among locals about ULLAS so that no village was left uncovered.
Moreover, the district administrations also conducted door-to-door survey work, asking people to provide details of the elders who still had not enrolled in the programme despite encouragement. The literacy campaign volunteers conducted extensive research to understand the difficulties faced by older people and assured them that age was not a barrier to learning. The women's interest in this initiative was also given due consideration by announcing specific timings for their participation so that they could complete their chores before attending the classes. The tireless efforts of volunteers in this regard eventually bore fruits, resulting in 1,78,680 learners passing the examination without fail.
Literacy Rate Of 99.09 Percent To Transform Lives For The Better -
A literacy rate of 99.09 percent will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the day-to-day lives of common people across Jammu and Kashmir. Being able to read and write empowers the locals as they will no longer be dependent on others for accessing information contained in government circulars, completing forms for opening bank accounts, etc. The adults will also be able to read and write mobile phone messages while being equipped with the fundamental knowledge of protecting themselves from financial frauds and dishonest shopkeepers.
It also helps local authorities make plans for operating continuing education centres so that these newly literate people do not lose their reading and writing skills. Parents, in particular, will ensure that their children get a proper education, which, in turn, will reduce the drop-out rates in schools and colleges.
The incredible efforts of the local administration in Jammu and Kashmir to address the issue of illiteracy among adults in record time is truly praiseworthy. It can be safely said that with the government's effective coordination and volunteers playing the role of motivators, the union territory has achieved this under the centrally sponsored ULLAS scheme.
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