MP Class 9-12 Students To Teach Non-Literate Adults Under ULLAS Programme
MP students will teach non-literate adults under ULLAS.
The Madhya Pradesh government is encouraging school students to become "literacy ambassadors" under the ULLAS - Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram, with students from Classes 9 to 12 expected to help adults who have not received formal education. According to the Ministry of Education, students participating in the programme will teach four non-literate adults each, helping them develop basic reading, writing and numeracy skills and prepare for the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT).
The initiative is part of ULLAS, also known as the New India Literacy Programme (NILP), a centrally sponsored scheme aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The programme is aimed at adults aged 15 years and above who missed opportunities for formal schooling. Besides basic literacy and numeracy, the initiative seeks to provide learners with practical life skills and encourage continued learning.
The Ministry of Education highlighted the student-led approach in a post on X, describing participating schoolchildren as literacy ambassadors. Under the programme, schools serve as the primary implementation units, while students and other volunteers receive training and orientation to help them teach adult learners. Workshops and training sessions are organised through face-to-face programmes, while learning materials and other resources are made available digitally to registered volunteers.
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The programme addresses a significant literacy challenge identified in official data. According to Census 2011 figures cited by the Press Information Bureau, India had 25.76 crore non-literate people aged 15 years and above. This included 9.08 crore men and 16.68 crore women. The ULLAS programme seeks to address adult literacy through community participation and volunteerism while encouraging a greater sense of social responsibility among citizens.
Functional literacy under the initiative goes beyond simply learning to read and write. Participants are also expected to develop basic numeracy and other practical skills that can help them manage everyday activities more independently. The programme is designed to promote lifelong learning and support the broader goal of enabling adults who missed formal education to participate more effectively in society.
By involving school students directly, the Madhya Pradesh initiative seeks to connect formal education with community service. The government views volunteer participation as an important component of ULLAS, with schools providing the organisational base for training and learning activities. The programme therefore combines adult literacy efforts with an opportunity for students to develop a stronger sense of social responsibility and civic participation.
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