Which Indian State Became the First Fully Literate State? It's Not Kerala

The North-East state of India, Mizoram, achieves a major feat by becoming the first state to be fully literate. Chief Minister Lalduhoma made the announcement during a festive event at Mizoram University in Aizawl, which was attended by Mizoram Education Minister Vanlalthlana and Union Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary.

As part of the Center's Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society (ULLAS) effort, Mizoram was proclaimed the first state to be completely literate on Tuesday.

Mizoram Becomes the First Fully Literate State

According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS 2023–2024), Mizoram achieved a literacy rate of 98.2%, making it the first fully literate state. This achieved the minimum literacy rate of 95 percent required under the ULLAS initiative, according to a statement released by the Mizoram government.

"Today is a historic day in our state's history — one that future generations will remember," Lalduhoma stated during the occasion. "A total of 1,692 individuals who showed remarkable perseverance and a desire to learn, even at later phases of life, despite having missed prior educational opportunities.”

Mizoram's dedication to inclusive progress via education was commended by Chaudhary. He declared, "This is a proud day for the entire country, not just for Mizoram."

Efforts Taken by the Mizoram Government

The Chief Minister of Mizoram shared that two key initiatives by the School Education Department — Samagra Shiksha and the New India Literacy Programme (Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram) — helped the state achieve a major milestone in education.

To support this mission, the State Project Office under Samagra Shiksha Mizoram took the lead. The government also set up a Governing Council and Executive Committee under the State Literacy Mission Authority to guide the program.

A State Center for Literacy was started under SCERT to focus on improving literacy. They created useful learning materials like:

• Vartian – a study resource in the Mizo language
• An English version of Vartian for students in Lawngtlai district
• Margdarshika – a guidebook for volunteer teachers
• Romei – a learning resource for students

According to the Chief Minister, 3,026 illiterate people aged 15 and above were identified through surveys done by Cluster Resource Center Coordinators. Out of them, 1,692 people showed interest in learning, which is a positive step towards a more educated Mizoram.

ALSO READ: (Updated) List of Indian States with Highest and Lowest Literacy Rate; Check Official Stats Here

Top 5 States in India with the Highest Literacy Rate

Check the latest list of top 10 states in India with the highest literacy rates in 2025, as per updated government data. Mizoram now ranks first with the highest literacy rate in the country.

However the Union Territory of Goa recently announced that the UT has achieved the literacy rate of 99.7%. The numbers are still to reflect on the nationwide survey.