After UP, Rajasthan makes newspaper-reading mandatory for students at govt schools

New Delhi: The growing influence of mobile phones and the internet has greatly reshaped school education in recent years. After the COVID-19 pandemic, online classes became an integral part of the schooling system, increasing students’ dependence on mobile phones, laptops, and the internet. Experts have repeatedly raised concerns that this digital shift has pushed children away from books and regular reading habits.

Taking note of this trend, the state government has stepped in. The Rajasthan government has made newspaper reading mandatory for students in government schools across the state. A similar initiative was earlier introduced by the Uttar Pradesh government.

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As per the latest order issued by the Rajasthan Education Secretary, students in government schools will be required to read newspapers for 10 minutes every day. This activity will be conducted during the morning prayer assembly. The Education Secretary stated that the move aims to keep students informed about national and international developments while also strengthening their reading habits.

In addition, students will have to pick five new words from the newspaper they read each day. These words will be explained by students during the prayer assembly, a step intended to improve vocabulary and language skills. Newspaper reading will be done in groups during the assembly, and students from Classes 6 to 12 will specifically focus on national and international news.

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To support the initiative, the government has directed that newspapers be supplied daily to schools. Under the order, higher secondary schools and government English-medium schools will receive two newspapers every day, one in Hindi and another in English. Meanwhile, government upper primary schools will be provided with two Hindi newspapers daily.

Officials believe the decision will help reconnect students with print media, broaden their general knowledge, and balance the increasing dominance of digital learning tools in school education.