Literacy rate in J&K at 82% as per PLFS 2023–24: Govt

Srinagar, Dec 15: The literacy rate in Jammu and Kashmir has been recorded at 82 per cent, according to official data tabled in the Lok Sabha.

The information was shared by the Union Ministry of Education in response to an unstarred question. Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary said the figures are based on the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) Annual Report 2023–24 conducted by the National Sample Survey Office.

As per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the Minister informed that the Government of India is implementing the New India Literacy Programme (NILP), also known as ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram, from 2022 to 2027 to promote literacy among non-literate persons aged 15 years and above who missed formal schooling.

The programme is aligned with the National Education Policy 2020 and is being implemented across all States and Union Territories, including Jammu and Kashmir.

Under the ULLAS framework, literacy is defined not only as the ability to read and write but also to compute with comprehension, along with acquiring essential life skills such as digital and financial literacy. The government has set a benchmark of 95 per cent literacy for declaring a State or Union Territory as fully literate.

The reply further noted that while several States and Union Territories have achieved the fully literate status, Jammu and Kashmir continues its efforts under the ULLAS programme to improve literacy outcomes.