The Uttar Pradesh basic and secondary education department has made newspaper reading compulsory in government schools across the state to reduce students’ screen time and encourage a habit of reading. Detailed guidelines have been sent to district- and state-level education officers to ensure the order is followed properly.
According to the order issued by additional chief secretary (secondary/basic education) Partha Sarthi Sen Sharma on December 23, newspapers should become a regular part of daily school life. The aim is to help students stay updated with current affairs and improve their preparation for competitive examinations.
Cognitive and academic benefits
The guidelines say that reading newspapers regularly helps students pick up new words and develop a better grip on language and writing. Going through different news stories and editorials sharpens writing skills and pushes students to think more deeply.
Even if they begin by reading only topics they enjoy, newspapers naturally expose them to subjects like science, culture and sports, resulting in what the department describes as “accidental learning”. The guidelines also point out that reading a printed newspaper helps improve focus and patience, especially when compared to scrolling through content on digital screens.
Senior officials, including the director general of school education and the director of UP secondary education, have been instructed to ensure strict compliance with these directions.
Implementation and school guidelines
Under the new system, every school and library must have easy access to reputed, high-quality newspapers in both Hindi and English. Schools have been asked to set aside 10 minutes during the daily morning assembly for news reading.
The instructions follow an earlier order issued on November 2, when the state rolled out a wider reading campaign aimed at developing a habit of book reading among students and reducing their dependence on mobile phones and social media, officials from the education department said.
Under that order, students were allowed access to government district libraries and required to borrow at least one non-syllabus book every week. Incentives such as appreciation certificates were also introduced to encourage regular readers. The initiative also included the “No Bouquet, Only Book” campaign, under which books are to be presented instead of trophies at school functions.
Senior officials said both orders have been circulated to all divisional education officials, district inspectors of schools and basic education officers, with clear directions to ensure strict implementation across the state.