Declared fully literate: Chandigarh hits 99.93%, tops all Union Territories

Chandigarh has been declared a fully literate Union Territory after achieving a literacy rate of 99.93 per cent , making it the highest among all eight Union Territories in India and the sixth state or UT in the country to reach this milestone.

The announcement was made on Tuesday at a felicitation ceremony organised by the Chandigarh Administration's Education Department , where newly literate citizens were recognised under the ULLAS programme , a central government initiative launched in 2022. The programme, aimed at individuals aged 15 and above , goes beyond basic reading and writing to cover digital literacy, financial awareness, and vocational skills, and is implemented largely through volunteer teachers and community participation. Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria attended as chief guest, with Chief Secretary H Rajesh Prasad as guest of honour.

The achievement marks a significant jump from Chandigarh's earlier literacy rate of 93.7 per cent . Under the ULLAS initiative, 15,556 citizens enrolled in the programme, of whom 14,711 cleared the literacy assessment . Women's literacy rose from 90.7 per cent to 99.89 per cent , narrowing a gap that remains wide in much of the country, where national female literacy stands at around 81 per cent against male literacy of 88 per cent.

When placed against other Union Territories, the gap is considerable. Lakshadweep, previously the best-performing UT, stands at 92.28 per cent. Delhi follows at 88.7 per cent, Andaman & Nicobar Islands at 86.6 per cent, Puducherry at 86.5 per cent, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu at 77.7 per cent. Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh record the lowest at approximately 67 per cent each. India's national average stands at 77.7 per cent , putting Chandigarh more than 22 points ahead.

The figure also compares favourably on a global scale, matching literacy levels seen in developed European nations, an achievement that carries added significance given India's overall literacy landscape.

Governor Kataria credited the outcome to the combined efforts of the administration, teachers, volunteers, and NGOs, and noted that the achievement surpasses the 95 per cent literacy benchmark set under the National Education Policy 2020. He described literacy as the foundation for India's broader development goals under the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.