How To Move Mountains

(Source: The Indian Express, Editorial Page)

Also Read: The Indian Express Editorial Analysis: 04 July 2025
Also Read: The Hindu Editorial Analysis: 04 July 2025

Topic: GS Paper 1: Indian Society (Education); GS Paper 2: Governance, Welfare Schemes; GS Paper 4: Ethics in Governance

Context

In a landmark achievement, Mizoram has emerged as India’s first fully literate state, attaining a 98.2% literacy rate under the Union government’s ULLAS – New India Literacy Programme. This success is not the result of top-down governance or technological interventions, but a community-led, culturally rooted approach that prioritised trust, service, and inclusion. The editorial dissects the components of this model and explores how it can be a replicable template for other Indian states struggling with literacy and broader development metrics.

Mizoram’s Literacy Breakthrough: 

Mizoram’s success marks a significant milestone in India’s developmental journey:

• The state recorded 98.2% literacy among persons aged 7 and above, significantly higher than the national average of 80.9% (PLFS 2024).
• It overtook Kerala, previously India’s most literate state, and achieved 98.1% adult literacy and 98.3% urban literacy, demonstrating minimal rural-urban disparities.
• This accomplishment is even more impressive given the difficult terrain, limited digital infrastructure, and sparse population density in Mizoram.

Tlawmngaihna and Volunteerism: The Heart of Mizoram’s Model

The success is rooted in tlawmngaihna, a traditional Mizo cultural ethic that emphasizes selflessness, social duty, and humility.

• Community-led volunteerism drove the campaign, with locals teaching elderly or illiterate adults in remote villages.
• Volunteers bridged gaps where formal schooling and digital platforms were unavailable.
• The campaign was not imposed; it was co-owned by the people, rooted in social solidarity rather than bureaucratic pressure.
• The model fostered inclusive accountability, where success was measured in community uplift, not paperwork.

Key Human Development Indicators in Mizoram

Mizoram’s literacy achievement is part of a larger ecosystem of human development and gender parity:

• Female Labour Force Participation Rate: 975 women per 1,000 working men — among the highest in India.
• Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): Lowest in the Northeast; among the lowest nationally.
• High performance in maternal health, child nutrition, and school attendance, indicating integrated welfare success.
• These figures are not just statistical outliers—they reflect sustained governance, social trust, and active civil society.

Lessons for the Rest of India

States like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh, despite having greater resources, continue to lag behind in literacy and other development metrics. Mizoram’s success offers multiple takeaways:

• Trust over Technology: Digital tools are enablers but not substitutes for community engagement and human connection.
• Moral Leadership Matters: Local cultural values and ethical volunteerism can be powerful catalysts for change.
• Grassroots Accountability: Development works best when people own the process, not just receive its benefits.
• Literacy Beyond Reading: Functional literacy empowers individuals to access entitlements, health care, and livelihoods, thus integrating them into the developmental mainstream.
  • Model Replication: The key lies in adapting Mizoram’s model to local cultural contexts rather than replicating it mechanically.

Way Forward/Conclusion

• Mizoram’s literacy achievement is not merely a statistical feat—it is a quiet revolution powered by cultural ethics, civil society, and trust-based governance.
• As India struggles with educational disparities, digital divides, and social fragmentation,
• Mizoram shows that true progress is not imposed—it is nurtured. States must move beyond infrastructure and policy documents to cultivate human capital through dignity, inclusion, and empathy.

 Mizoram vs National Literacy Performance

Indicator	Mizoram	India (National Avg.)
Overall Literacy Rate (7+ years)	98.2%	80.9%
Adult Literacy Rate	98.1%	~73%
Urban-Rural Literacy Gap	Negligible (~0.2%)	Significant (~15%)
Female Workforce Participation	975 per 1000 males	540 per 1000 males (approx.)
Infant Mortality Rate	Lowest in Northeast	28 per 1,000 live births

Practice Question: (GS-2 | 15 Marks | 250 Words) Mizoram’s literacy success stems from a culturally rooted, community-led model of development. How can other states adapt such approaches to improve literacy and social indicators?