Mumbai | Sept 02: Andhra Pradesh’s literacy rate has surged from 72.6% in 2024 to 82.1% in 2026, Education Minister Nara Lokesh announced on Wednesday. He described the achievement as a “truly historic” transformation and congratulated officials, teachers and everyone involved in the Akshara Andhra mission.
Minister Lokesh said that when he took charge of the Education Department in 2024, Andhra Pradesh had one of the lowest literacy rates in the country. At 72.6%, Andhra Pradesh’s Literacy Rate was below even Bihar, which stood at 74.3%. In just two years, Andhra Pradesh has moved from the bottom to above the national average of 80.9%, marking a major turnaround in the state’s literacy landscape.
The Akshara Andhra programme, launched by the NDA government last year, has played a key role in the improvement, with around 25 lakh people becoming literate through the programme.
According to the recently released Central government adult education examination results, Andhra Pradesh’s literacy rate has increased by ~ 10% percentage points, from 72.6% in 2024 to 82.1% in 2026.
Minister Lokesh directed officials to build on this momentum and work in mission mode to achieve 100% literacy by September 2027. Officials have prepared a phased plan to make another 25 lakhs people literate by March 2027, followed by the remaining 27 lakh people by September 2027.
The Akshara Andhra programme is being implemented in coordination with 11 government departments. Minister Lokesh directed officials to involve MLAs and local public representatives in the programme and intensify awareness and mobilisation efforts to reach every person who remains illiterate.
33,000 out-of-school children enrolled
During his review of the School Education Department, Minister Lokesh directed officials to track every school-age child and ensure their enrolment in school.
Officials said 1,64,821 school-age children are currently outside the formal education system. Of these, around 33,000 children have been enrolled in schools this year, while details of the remaining children have been shared with headmasters through the LEAP app.
Minister Lokesh directed officials to intensify efforts to bring all out-of-school children into the formal education system. Schools have also been instructed to contact and counsel parents when students remain absent for three consecutive days, with School Management Committees being involved in improving attendance.
Teacher attendance currently stands at 98.97%, while student attendance is 85.41%. Minister Lokesh directed officials to take further measures to improve student attendance.
Focus on quality education and student welfare
Minister Lokesh directed officials to ensure no compromise on the quality of the mid-day meal scheme and asked teachers and parents to provide feedback through the LEAP app.
He also emphasised the importance of students’ mental development and stress-free learning and directed officials to establish autism centres at 125 locations across the state.
The minister also reviewed preparations for Mission March-2026 for Class 10 students and the Special TET for in-service teachers, in accordance with Supreme Court directions. Officials said 192 best teachers will be felicitated in Vijayawada on September 5 on the occasion of Teachers’ Day.
Officials also informed the minister that specialised training in AI tools would be provided to teachers through the AI Samarth initiative.