Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Delhi lead in adult literacy, shows test data so far

NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu, Tripura and Delhi have emerged as top performers in tackling the challenge of adult literacy and education. The 2024-25 Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT), conducted under ULLAS - Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram, has thrown up encouraging results among states that submitted the certification data in time.Data compiled by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), exclusively accessed by TOI, showed that the top performers ranged in the late 90s in terms of success percentages, while the relative laggards - Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh - were over 85%. The FLNAT programme was rolled out in phases between July 2024 and March 2025, with over 1.77 crore adult learners tested in all. Uttarakhand & Gujarat post lowest certification rates By May 2025, only 34.3 lakh were officially certified, reflecting a national average of about 19.4%.

However, this figure is skewed due to pending certification data from the March 2025 phase, which included over 49 lakh participants whose results were still being processed. Under FLNAT, which is a nationwide assessment of foundational literacy and numeracy skills, "states/UTs identify illiterate populations, educate them, and then conduct a test to reveal outcomes," said a senior official of ministry of education (MoE).

TN recorded a flawless performance, certifying all 5,09,694 learners who appeared in FLNAT - a 100% success rate. "This is attributed to strong administrative oversight, pre-exam preparation, and local mobilisation through community volunteers and panchayat support," the official said. Tripura was close behind, certifying 13,909 of 14,179 learners, with a success rate of 98.1%. Delhi also performed exceptionally, certifying 7,901 of 7,959 candidates, with a 99.3% success rate.On the other hand, states like Uttarakhand, Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh posted lower certification rates despite moderate participation. Uttarakhand certified 8,109 of 9,459 learners (85.7%); Gujarat, 1,853 of 2,128 (87.1%); and Himachal Pradesh, 14,500 of 15,351 candidates (88.3%). "While these states didn't perform poorly in absolute terms, their outcomes were among the lowest of those with fully declared results," said a senior official of department of school education and literacy.One encouraging finding is the high participation of women. In Madhya Pradesh, more women appeared in FLNAT than men - 8.52 lakh versus 8.11 lakh men. Similar trends were seen in Jharkhand and Odisha. This indicates a growing awareness and desire for literacy among adult women, who increasingly see education as a means of empowerment and dignity.