Divisional Boards to Lead Implementation of Ullas Navbharat Literacy Program in Maharashtra
Pune, 18th December 2024: The responsibility for the effective implementation of the Central Government’s Ullas Navbharat Literacy Program in Maharashtra has been entrusted to the Divisional Education Boards. Kolhapur Divisional Board Chairman Rajesh Kshirsagar has been appointed as the State Coordinator for this initiative.
In a joint circular issued by the Chairman of the State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, Sharad Gosavi, and Scheme Education Director, Dr. Mahesh Palkar, it was announced that steps are being taken to encourage participation in the program by proposing additional marks for school student volunteers involved in the initiative.
The program aims to eliminate illiteracy through a comprehensive approach, including surveys, teaching activities, and evaluations. Committees have already been formed at the state, district, taluka, and school levels to oversee the initiative. Divisional Coordinators will be responsible for reviewing progress at the regional level, ensuring publicity, and monitoring whether the work aligns with the scheme’s objectives.
To achieve this, a broad range of volunteers is being mobilized, including school students (class VIII and above), college students, retired employees, ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers, NCC and NSS members, teachers, and school staff. Currently, the online registration of illiterate students and associated proceedings for the program are underway.
Divisional Education Boards have been instructed to hold meetings with school principals and headmasters to encourage greater participation from school students as volunteers. These students, along with other volunteers, will be involved in teaching illiterate individuals, conducting surveys, and managing other activities under the scheme.
In September, the Minister of School Education directed the submission of a proposal to the state government to provide additional academic marks for school students participating in the program as volunteers. The proposal is currently under consideration.
About the Ullas Navbharat Literacy Program
The Ullas Navbharat Literacy Program is a national initiative to make illiterate individuals literate through a structured framework. Key activities include identifying illiterate students, registering them on the Ullas app, conducting teaching sessions, organizing pre- and post-exam activities, and monitoring the performance of district, taluka, and school-level committees. Volunteers are at the heart of the program, ensuring effective outreach and teaching efforts.
