Himachal Pradesh has emerged as a national leader in literacy and quality education, achieving a historic literacy rate of 99.30%—well ahead of the Government of India’s 2030 target. This remarkable milestone is the result of sustained efforts by the state government to bring transformative reforms in the education sector under the leadership of CM Sukhu.
A key reform is the introduction of the CBSE curriculum in government schools, aimed at aligning students with national standards and better preparing them for competitive exams. This initiative followed extensive consultations with education experts and is part of the government’s vision for the holistic development of students.
To strengthen foundational learning, the state has implemented English-medium education from Grade 1 in government schools. This early exposure is helping children become confident in expressing themselves in both English and Hindi—building essential communication skills for future opportunities.
The government has also prioritized the modernization of educational infrastructure. It is setting up Rajiv Gandhi Government Model Day-Boarding Schools in every assembly constituency, equipped with smart classrooms, libraries, labs, and sports facilities. Additionally, over 850 institutions have been declared as centres of excellence, ensuring high standards of learning across all levels.
In a major step towards supporting higher education, the Dr. Y.S. Parmar Vidyarthi Rin Yojana offers students loans of up to ₹20 lakh at just 1% interest, making quality education accessible in India and abroad. At the same time, subjects like Artificial Intelligence and Data Science have been introduced to prepare students for future careers.
The state has filled over 5,400 teaching posts and 7,000 additional vacancies in the Education Department, significantly improving the student-teacher ratio. A policy change now ensures teachers retire at the end of the academic year to avoid disruptions in learning.
To provide global exposure, the government has initiated educational tours for students and teachers. In the 2024–25 session, delegations were sent to Singapore and Kerala to learn about best practices in modern education systems.
Local heritage is also being integrated into education. From the next academic year, NCERT textbooks for classes 6 to 12 will be contextualized with Himachal-specific content. This includes information on local history, dialects, heritage sites, and the contributions of freedom fighters and war heroes, fostering pride and cultural identity among students.
In addition to academics, the government is addressing children’s health through the Mukhyamantri Bal Posahar Yojana, which provides nutritious meals to over 5.35 lakh children across nearly 15,000 schools.
These reforms have already shown measurable results. Himachal Pradesh has climbed from 21st to 5th place in the National Achievement Survey, and the ASER 2025 report highlights the state as one of the best in children’s reading ability. Himachal’s holistic and forward-looking education model is now being recognized as a blueprint for the rest of the country.
