Volunteers provide training to learners under the New India Literacy Programme in Salem district recently.
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.
The New India Literacy Programme (NILP), a centrally sponsored initiative, has benefited over 2.13 lakh people in the Salem district, providing them with basic education in the last four years (2022 to 2026). The NILP aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and aims to empower adults aged 15 and above from all backgrounds who missed formal schooling. The scheme targets foundational literacy and numeracy for five crore people from 2022 to 2027, with one crore learners per year by using hybrid mode.In Salem District, from 2022 to 2026, a total of 2.13 lakh people (2022-23 -35,781 people, 2023-24- 32,413, 2024-25- 35,002, and 2025-26 -1.10 lakh) have been benefited and received basic education in 21 blocks. For 2026-27, which is the final year for the scheme, 26,225 people were identified in the district (Males- 7,523, Females- 18,702). Through 1,492 volunteers, basic educational training will be provided to them at 1,492 centres. This year’s training, which was inaugurated in July, will continue for four months, and exams will be conducted in October, certificates be issued.Officials of the School Education Department said that teachers from the Illam Thedi Kalvi scheme are selected as volunteers, who will teach the fundamental literacy to the people, including numerical skills, and basic life skills like performing a bank transactions, using mobile phone, and reading city names in buses, bus numbers, and emergency numbers.They will also be trained to use signatures instead of fingerprints, as well as how to obtain PAN numbers, etc. Classes are conducted based on the convenience of the learners, either from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. or from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. People are responding positively to the scheme. This year, the programme was inaugurated at Jarugumalai in the district, officials added. Published - July 30, 2026 07:35 pm IST
