Srinagar, September 5, 2026 : Jammu and Kashmir has achieved a major milestone in the field of education, with the Union Territory being declared Fully Literate under the ULLAS–Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram.
Minister for School Education, Higher Education, Health & Medical Education and Social Welfare, Sakeena Masood Itoo, congratulated the people of Jammu and Kashmir on the achievement, describing it as a matter of immense pride.
Speaking during the Teachers’ Day celebrations at SKICC, Srinagar, the Minister said J&K has crossed the 95 percent literacy benchmark, which is treated as 100 percent literacy under the Government of India’s prescribed norms. She also highlighted that J&K has become the largest State/UT so far to achieve this milestone and has secured 10th position nationally.
7.58 Lakh Non-Literates Identified
Sakeena Itoo said the achievement goes beyond statistics and reflects the transformative impact of education on thousands of lives.
She credited the success to the combined efforts of the government, teachers, volunteers, learners, field functionaries, educational institutions and district administrations, saying that Jan Bhagidari—or community participation—played a crucial role in achieving the literacy target.
According to the Minister, between 2023 and 2026, the School Education Department identified 7.58 lakh non-literate persons through door-to-door surveys. Of these, 5.53 lakh learners qualified the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT), including 3,16,883 learners during 2025–26 alone.
Focus Now on Lifelong Learning
The Minister said the government would continue working to ensure that the gains achieved through the literacy campaign translate into lifelong learning, digital literacy, vocational skills and financial awareness.
She emphasised that the ultimate objective is not merely to achieve literacy figures but to equip citizens with knowledge and skills that can contribute to their dignity, independence and sustainable empowerment.
Major Educational Initiatives Launched
During the Teachers’ Day event, the Minister also inaugurated several major educational initiatives under Samagra Shiksha aimed at strengthening school infrastructure, skills development and technology-driven monitoring.
These include:
- 460 civil works worth approximately ₹38 crore for strengthening school infrastructure.
- 2,403 vocational laboratories in High and Higher Secondary Schools to provide students with employable and practical skills.
- Vidya Samiksha Kendra (VSK), Srinagar, aimed at enabling real-time, data-driven monitoring of learning outcomes in alignment with National Education Policy (NEP)-2020.
Officials and Teachers Attend Event
The programme was attended by Director Samagra Shiksha J&K Bhawani Rakwal, Director School Education Jammu Naseem Javaid Choudhary, Director School Education Kashmir Naseer Ahmad Wani, senior officers of the department, teachers and a large gathering of students.
The declaration of Jammu and Kashmir as a Fully Literate Union Territory marks a significant achievement for the region’s education sector, while the government has now shifted its focus towards ensuring that literacy becomes a foundation for continuous education, employability and broader social and economic empowerment.
