UP Govt Mandates Daily Newspaper Reading in Government Schools

Bahraich, January 21: In a move aimed at nurturing reading habits and enhancing awareness of current affairs among students, the Uttar Pradesh government has made daily newspaper reading mandatory in all government-run schools across the state.

Acting on the directive, Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) of Bahraich, Ashish Kumar Singh, (in pic below) has instructed all Block Education Officers (BEOs) to ensure strict compliance with the order at the ground level. Under the initiative, students of the Basic Education Department will now read Hindi and English newspapers every day after the morning assembly.

The directive was issued by Director General of School Education Monica Rani to all Basic Education Officers, mandating uniform implementation in government primary and secondary schools. Following the winter vacation, which ended on January 14, 2026, all school heads in the district have been directed to implement the order without delay.

Speaking on the initiative, BSA Ashish Kumar Singh said the programme is designed to strengthen students’ reading ability, improve language skills, promote critical thinking, and enhance general knowledge. He added that encouraging newspaper reading would also help reduce excessive screen time among children by fostering healthy reading habits.

Providing further details, Chittaura Block Education Officer Anurag Kumar Mishra said teachers have been instructed to purchase reputed Hindi and English newspapers using the composite grant fund available to schools. Teachers have also been asked to encourage students to read newspapers not only after the morning assembly but also during recess or free periods.

According to official sources, the initiative is based on a government order issued on December 23, 2025, by Additional Chief Secretary (Secondary and Basic Education) Parth Sarathi Sen Sharma. The order mandates that at least 10 minutes every day be earmarked exclusively for newspaper reading during the morning assembly in all government schools.

As per the guidelines, schools must make reputed Hindi and English newspapers available in their libraries. During the designated reading time, students will take turns reading important national, international, and sports news, along with selected editorials. Teachers will also encourage students to identify difficult words as the “Word of the Day,” which will be displayed on school notice boards to help build vocabulary. Younger students will be motivated to prepare scrapbooks using newspaper clippings.

While the formal order was issued by the Additional Chief Secretary, its statewide implementation is being monitored by Director General of School Education Monica Rani. The government has also made provisions for newspapers to be supplied at government expense, and compliance has been made mandatory for all government schools.

Education experts have welcomed the initiative, describing it as a positive step towards reviving the reading culture in schools and making students more informed and aware of the world around them.