The Ministry of Education announced on 28 October 2026 that it has released guidelines for Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) under the ULLAS – Nav Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram. These guidelines allow student teachers in NCTE-recognised programmes to serve as Volunteer Teachers, requiring them to help 5 to 8 non-literate learners achieve literacy in exchange for academic credits. On the same day, the Ministry felicitated 10 national winning teams of the Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025, which received a Guinness World Record for 2,87,967 project submissions. The release does not say when the ULLAS guidelines take effect.
Key points
- VBB 2025: 2,87,967 project submissions recorded
- VBB 2025: 10 national winners received a total of ₹17.50 lakhs in cash prizes
- ULLAS: Student teachers must facilitate literacy for 5 to 8 non-literate learners for academic credits
- VBB 2025: Total award pool of over ₹1 crore across district, state, and national levels
When it applies
- felicitation of VBB 2025 winners and launch of ULLAS guidelines
Who it affects
- student teachers enrolled in NCTE-recognised teacher education programmes