Workshop on ‘Volunteering for Ullas’ Engages Over 18,000 Students from Teacher Education Institutions

New Delhi: In a significant step towards fostering youth volunteerism and achieving full literacy across India, Sanjay Kumar, Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSE&L), Ministry of Education, presided over a virtual workshop today with students from Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs). The workshop, organized by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), focused on ‘Volunteering for Ullas’—an initiative under the Nav Bharat Literacy Programme aimed at enhancing community engagement to promote literacy, as envisioned in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The event saw participation from key officials, including Archana Sharma Awasthi, Joint Secretary, DoSE&L; Prof. Pankaj Arora, Chairperson, NCTE; Kesang Y. Sherpa, Member Secretary, NCTE; and Preeti Meena, Director, DoSE&L. More than 18,000 TEIs along with their faculty and student-teachers were inducted during the session.

In his address, Sanjay Kumar emphasized the importance of collective efforts to eradicate illiteracy in all sections of society. He called on the Teacher Education Institutions to encourage their students to register on the ULLAS App and actively participate as volunteer teachers, giving the gift of literacy to those in need. Kumar highlighted that teacher educators and administrators must guide and support students in this endeavor, contributing to India’s educational and social development.

Archana Sharma Awasthi presented the agenda of the workshop, underscoring the role of ULLAS: Nav Bharat Literacy Programme in community service. She urged students and teachers to join the program, highlighting how their participation in the initiative would significantly contribute to the broader goal of universal literacy.

Prof. Pankaj Arora, Chairperson of NCTE, reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to the vision of Viksit Bharat and the goal of ‘Jan Jan Saakshar’ (literacy for all). He emphasized that the NCTE is fully dedicated to ensuring that the dream of a fully literate India becomes a reality through sustained efforts by educators and volunteers.

Meanwhile, Kesang Y. Sherpa elaborated on the role of Teacher Education Institutions in implementing the ULLAS initiative. She shared that, for the academic session 2023-24, the NCTE has directed all TEIs to connect 8-10 students with the ULLAS program, motivating them to become volunteer teachers. These students, she added, would earn 2 Credits for Community Engagement & Service through their active participation in ULLAS, as well as in other community activities such as the National Service Scheme (NSS).

Preeti Meena provided a detailed presentation on the implementation steps of ULLAS in TEIs, explaining how the program would be integrated into the curriculum and community engagement activities.

With the enthusiastic involvement of over 18,000 TEIs, this workshop marks a critical step toward empowering India’s youth to take part in the nation’s literacy drive, contributing to the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) through education.