Munish Sood
Shimla:
Himachal Pradesh on Monday marked a historic achievement by officially being declared a fully literate state.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu made the announcement at Hotel Peterhoff in Shimla during International Literacy Day celebrations where the state’s literacy rate of 99 per cent — well above the national benchmark of 95 per cent — was formally recognised.
Education Minister Rohit Thakur also attended the ceremony. The government hailed the achievement as the result of collective efforts by the education department, teachers and citizens. However, the celebrations have been marred by a controversy surrounding the official invitation card for the event.
The card, which has now gone viral on social media, carried three glaring errors, raising serious questions about the state’s claim of “total literacy”. Critics argue that the blunder on International Literacy Day has turned the celebration into an embarrassment.
Social media was quick to react. Kamal Kant Gukeria wrote sarcastically: “Shiksha bechari… ghabra gayi hai, lo main kahan aa gayi… aisi dasha ya durdasha, ye kaun mujhe kha gayi? (such a blunder is a blot in the name of education, and that too on such an important day when literacy milestone is being declared).”
Another user, Pyare Lal Verma, posted: “Sampooran saksharta ki jhala (there are loopholes in the state government’s claims of complete literacy).”
Kamal Verma also commented sarcastically: “Purn saksharta ki aur agrasar shiksha vibhag (Himachal Education Department heads towards total literacy!)”
The posts reflect a mix of satire and disappointment, with many mocking the irony of celebrating 99 per cent literacy while official communication fails basic language checks. BJP leader Prashant Sharma also lashed out at the government: “If the government truly had literate people handling such important work, these errors would not have occurred. How can a state boast of 99 per cent literacy while its official invitation carries such mistakes? This makes a mockery of the achievement.”
While officials have dismissed the issue as a “printing mistake”, critics insist that no card goes to press without proofing. The episode has turned what was meant to be a proud historic moment into a subject of ridicule, with opposition parties accusing the government of negligence and hypocrisy.
