International Literacy Day 2026: As India’s Literacy Rate Crosses 80%, Focus Shifts From Access to Opportunity
As the world observes International Literacy Day on September 8, India’s improving literacy figures reflect the progress made in expanding access to education while also highlighting the need to look beyond enrolment and classroom access.
The year 2026 marks the 60th anniversary of International Literacy Day, centred on the theme “Literacy for people, the planet and prosperity.” The theme encourages a broader discussion on the progress achieved in literacy, the barriers that persist and how education systems can adapt to a rapidly changing world.
Globally, literacy remains a major challenge. According to UNESCO, 739 million young people and adults did not possess basic literacy skills in 2024, while four in 10 children were unable to achieve minimum reading proficiency. In 2023, 272 million children and adolescents were out of school.
India, however, has witnessed an improvement in its literacy rate, which reportedly increased to 81% in 2024 from 77% in 2023. Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi, while marking the occasion, emphasised the need for continued efforts to ensure that no one is excluded from the learning process. He also highlighted an educated and empowered citizenry as a key foundation for building a Viksit Bharat.
With literacy rates moving upwards, the conversation is increasingly shifting from ensuring access to schools towards creating meaningful educational and career opportunities. This approach is reflected in the philanthropic work of Devyani Jaipuria, who has been involved in education initiatives for more than two decades.
Through Shiksha Kendra, an initiative supporting children from underserved communities, Jaipuria has focused on sustained access to education and enabling students to continue their learning journeys. The initiative has supported more than 25,000 students over the years, with several beneficiaries going on to pursue higher education and professional opportunities at organisations including Deloitte, Amazon, SpiceJet, ICICI Bank, Tata Solar and Decathlon. Another student is currently pursuing nursing studies in Georgia with support received through the initiative.
For Jaipuria, the objective extends beyond individual interventions to creating an institution capable of generating opportunities over the long term.
“Our intention was always to build something lasting, an institution rather than a programme. An institution keeps creating opportunity year after year, touching more lives than any single effort ever could,” said Devyani Jaipuria, Pro Vice Chairperson of DPS and Director on the Board of RJ Corp.
Alongside such individual-led initiatives, organisations are working to address India’s literacy and foundational learning challenges at scale. Central Square Foundation, for example, collaborates with governments across 11 states on foundational literacy and numeracy, supporting areas such as teacher training, learning resources and assessments. Its efforts have contributed to foundational learning programmes implemented across thousands of schools.
At the community level, Food4Thought Foundation has taken a complementary approach by improving access to books and reading resources. The organisation has established 622 school and community libraries and reached more than 70,500 readers, demonstrating the role that access to reading material can play in strengthening literacy and encouraging reading habits.
As India continues to make progress on literacy, the next challenge is ensuring that these gains translate into stronger learning outcomes, continued education and greater opportunities. International Literacy Day therefore offers an opportunity to move the conversation beyond literacy rates and towards education as a foundation for empowerment, participation and a more equitable future.
