Student volunteers who participate in national literacy campaigns run by government will be entitled to receive bonus marks as an incentive in order to encourage more students to sign up.

Assistant District Education Officer (DEO), Mahendra Singh Shrestha expressed hope that this strategy will motivate more students to engage in the government campaign to eradicate the scourge of mass illiteracy.

As per the plan, students showing active participation in literacy campaigns will earn 10 marks out of 25 allocated for practical examinations in their optional first and second subjects. While the extra marks will help student volunteers score better marks in their annual examination, it is  expected to make the task of authorities to educate the masses less burdensome.

According to a survey conducted by the DEO in the fiscal year 2010/11, an estimated 141,000 people in the district were illiterate. After over 50,000 people in the district benefited from literacy campaigns run by government over the past three years, it is estimated that about 90,000 are still illiterate.

DEO Hari Gautam said that the government is planning to run a literacy campaign with active participation of student volunteers within a month. He said participating school students will be required to bring the name list of the illiterate people in the area who are willing to take part in the literacy campaign.

The DEO intends to deploy 627 students for the literacy campaign as per the plan to make 90,695 people literate in the district this year.