The Uttar Pradesh government has made daily newspaper reading mandatory in schools as part of a new initiative aimed at improving literacy, comprehension skills, and overall student awareness across the state.
Education officials said the directive applies primarily to government-run schools and is designed to encourage regular reading habits among students from an early age. Under the policy, schools will allocate specific time during the school day for students to read newspapers, with teachers guiding discussions based on age-appropriate news content.
According to the education department, the move is intended to strengthen language skills, expand vocabulary, and help students better understand current events. Officials believe regular exposure to newspapers will also promote critical thinking and analytical abilities, enabling students to connect classroom learning with real-world developments.
Teachers will play a key role in the program, helping students interpret headlines, news reports, and editorials. In higher classes, students may be encouraged to summarize articles or participate in discussions, while younger students will focus on basic reading comprehension and understanding simple news stories.
The initiative comes amid broader efforts by the state government to address learning gaps that widened during the pandemic. Officials say newspaper reading can serve as a low-cost and effective tool to improve foundational learning, particularly in rural and under-resourced areas.
Education experts have welcomed the move, noting that newspapers expose students to diverse topics such as science, environment, governance, and social issues. They also stress that early engagement with news content can help build media literacy, an increasingly important skill in the digital age.
However, implementation challenges remain. Some school administrators have raised concerns about newspaper availability and distribution in remote regions. In response, officials said schools may use shared copies or digital versions where physical access is limited.
The Uttar Pradesh government said it will review the impact of the initiative through periodic assessments and feedback from schools. If successful, the program could be expanded further or integrated with digital learning platforms.
As the state continues its push to improve education outcomes, the daily newspaper reading mandate signals a renewed focus on literacy, awareness, and practical learning in classrooms.
