Around seven lakh people sit literacy and numeracy test across Maharashtra under ULLAS programme

About seven lakh candidates appeared on Sunday across Maharashtra for the Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Assessment Test (FLNAT). The test was held under ULLAS - Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram, a centrally sponsored scheme.

Officials said candidates who pass will be given a certificate and a marksheet. They can then continue their education by taking examinations equivalent to Classes 3, 5, 8, 10 and 12.

Krishna Kumar Patil, Director (Schemes), Maharashtra, said successful candidates will receive the certificate and marksheet from the Union government's Department of School Education and Literacy.

The programme is being run according to the Centre's guidelines. Its aim is to teach basic literacy to people who cannot read or write. For candidates registered on the ULLAS app, the test was held in schools recognised under UDISE, the Unified District Information System for Education, in all districts of Maharashtra.

The test was offered in nine languages: Marathi, Hindi, English, Urdu, Gujarati, Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Bengali. This allowed every candidate to take the test in the language of their choice.

FLNAT aims to assess basic reading, writing and numeracy among adults so that they can take part in everyday life. The programme also teaches practical life skills, such as financial and legal literacy, digital literacy, disaster management, health awareness, child care, education and family welfare.

In Maharashtra, the programme is being implemented under the guidance of School Education Minister Dadaji Bhuse, Minister of State for School Education Dr Pankaj Bhoyar, Principal Secretary Ranjitsinh Deol and Commissioner Sachindra Pratap Singh.

District collectors, chief executive officers and officials of the Union and state education departments visited various test centres to review arrangements and monitor the examination.

District-level officials, education officers, principals, block education officers, extension officers and centre heads also went to the centres to observe the examination process. Teachers' organisations, school principals and teachers jointly managed the arrangements and helped conduct the test smoothly across the state.

The examination is part of the government's larger efforts to raise literacy among adults and to give newly literate people opportunities to study further and learn essential life skills.