In a recent circular, the University Grants Commission (UGC) emphasised on implementation of the New India Literacy Programme (NILP) in all higher educational institutions across the country, for which the government has allocated a fund of Rs 1037.90 crore for five years. The programme is a part of government’s “Education for All’ scheme (previously known as Adult Education), for which Centre will provide Rs 700 crore. The reaminnig Rs 337.90 crore will be funded by States share, as per an official statement. The programme will be implemented from 2023. FE Education will walk you through further details of NILP.
What is the New India Literacy Programme?
It is a ‘centrally sponsored scheme’ which the government plans to implement during five years from 2022-23 to 2026-27. The programme aims to provide educational aids to five crore students during the five years under the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy component. According to officials, the programme has five objectives including Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, Critical Life Skills, Vocational Skills Development, Basic Education and Continuing Education.
Distribution of Funds
As per the official statement, the Central and State allocations of the total fund are in the ratio of 60:40 for all states except North Eastern Region (NER) and Himalayan States. For the latter, the shared ratio is 90:10. “For UTs with legislature the ratio is 60:40, except in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir where the ratio is 90:10, and for all other UTs without legislature the Central share is 100%,” it stated. The fund flow will take place through the public financial management system (PFMS) and State treasuries.
Objective and Guidelines of NILP
The NILP aims to cover non-literates of the age of 15 years and above in all State and Union Territories across the country. Furthermore, with the target for Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) for FYs 2022-27, each year, one crore learners will be trained through ‘Online Teaching, Learning and Assessment System (OTLAS)’.
In addition, the draft guidelines for NILP states that girls and women, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribes, minorities and Other Backward Class (OBC), disabled persons, persons with special needs, marginalised people among others will get priority in terms of beneficiaries of the scheme. Furthermore. aspirational districts of NITI Aayog, districts with literacy rates less than the National/State average or female literacy rates less than 60% as per the 2011 Census, among others, will get priorities in terms of area.
What UGC suggests in guidelines of implementation of NILP
As per an official notification, the apex education body urges all universities with departments of Adult Education, Continuing Education, Lifelong Learning or Extension to implement mandatory teaching of at least five or above non-literates by students in every academic year in their course work as a project or assignment for completion of their degree. UGC affiliated institutions may include certain credits for the activity, which can be certified under ‘literate certificates’.
“A provision for issuing certificates to such volunteers from University/State Government can be
made to encourage students. Students can be trained by the Universities HEIs to carry out the activities as per the guidelines,” it said.