In reporting the history and status of the National Adult Education Programme of India (NAEP), a five-year literacy campaign (1979-84) that was designed to educate approximately 100 million persons, this study emphasizes the program's preparatory phase and its monitoring/evaluation systems. After a survey of the literacy needs and past literacy programs in India, the steps in the formation of NAEP--including delimiting target populations (primarily rural women) and the duration of instruction--are traced from the program's conception in 1977. The planning phase also traces the involvement of government and voluntary agencies in instructional and administrative roles and the establishment of local resource centers. The review of the goals and priorities contains an overview of administrative structures at the local, state, and national levels, which were coordinated to aid administrative communication and complement program objectives. The systems of monitoring and evaluation are plotted in four areas: inhouse monitoring of management decisions and information; assessment of field programs, including instructional materials and staff performance; governmental appraisals of overall program effectiveness; and continuing evaluation of student progress. Areas of research progress are listed, as are those needed for program improvement. A general appraisal gives enrollment data and summarizes the achievements and weaknesses of the program. The NAEP policy statement and objectives are included in appendixes. (JW)