Results of 9.63 lakh learners to decide on 'fully literate Tamil Nadu'
In June’s basic test, over 5.37 lakh learners appeared for the exam and TN achieved full pass percentage in the assessment
Women appearing for the literacy test in Batlagundu block, Dindigul on Sunday
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu is likely to become the first big state, with over eight crore population, to achieve full literacy after the results of the recently held literacy exam are released in January 2026.
Under the New India Literacy Programme (NILP), the TN Directorate of Non-Formal and Adult Education (DNFE) conducted a literacy exam on December 14, for which over 9.63 lakh adults attended the exam across the state.
The NILP, under the Ministry of Education, is a five-year programme from the financial years 2022-27, aimed at educating adults in India. However, TN, one of the largest states with over eight crore population, has achieved this feat in just three years. TN officials claim that the government set 2026 as the target to achieve full literacy.
Hence, as part of the first round of assessment conducted on June 15 for the 2025-26 academic year, over 5.37 lakh learners appeared for the exam in 30,191 exam centres, with each volunteer allotted for one centre across the state. In the June 15 assessment, where TN secured a full pass percentage, more than 42 lakh women and over 10 lakh men aced the exam.
Subsequently, in the December exam conducted in 39,250 centres across TN, more than 9.63 lakh candidates, mostly above 40 years, wrote the exam. Of them, 1.98 lakh are male candidates, a whopping 7.64 lakh candidates are women, and eight candidates are trans persons.
As for trans persons, six took the exam in Chennai (four from Tiruvottriyur block and two from Teynampet block), and one each from Thanjavur and Tiruvannamalai districts.
Officials say additional candidates turned up at the last minute to write the exam.
Speaking to DT Next, S Suganya, director of DNFE under the Directorate of School Education, said, "We had 9.62 lakh candidates registered for the exam; however, we found additional candidates volunteering to write the exam. Overall, 733 additional candidates wrote the exam on Sunday."
Adding further, the official noted that the evaluation of the exams has commenced, and the results will be declared in the first week of January. "Post the results are announced, the TN government will send the report to the Ministry of Education, which will scrutinise the report. After mandatory approval, TN will qualify to declare itself fully literate, " she added.
Meanwhile, it is noteworthy that TN has already crossed the 95 per cent literacy rate. The literacy rate of TN was at 80.09 per cent, as per the 2011 census. However, in the span of 14 years, the state has shown performance with a few districts already surpassing the 95 per cent literacy mark.
Literacy is calculated when a learner above the age of seven (studying in class 2) can read, write and do basic arithmetic. The state or country is declared fully literate when it achieves 95 per cent.
