Rajasthan Mandates Daily Newspaper Reading in Schools to Boost Literacy

The Rajasthan government has mandated daily newspaper reading in government schools to cultivate reading habits, improve vocabulary, and enhance students' general awareness. This initiative requires reading newspapers during morning assemblies and discussing current affairs, aimed at preparing students for competitive exams and developing critical analytical skills.

In a bid to foster literacy and awareness among students, the Rajasthan government has mandated daily newspaper reading in all its government schools. The initiative, announced on December 31, aims to cultivate reading habits, expand vocabulary, and enhance general awareness among students.

According to the order, students will spend at least 10 minutes during morning assemblies reading newspapers. This is expected to familiarize them with current affairs and boost their ability to understand and analyze news. Government senior secondary schools and English-medium schools are instructed to subscribe to at least two newspapers, one in Hindi and one in English, while upper primary schools must have at least two Hindi newspapers available.

The financial burden of these subscriptions will be covered by the Rajasthan School Education Council, Jaipur. Furthermore, schools are encouraged to identify and explain five new words daily to strengthen students' language skills. Officials say the program not only aims to improve general knowledge and social awareness but also prepares students for competitive examinations. This move follows a similar directive introduced by the Uttar Pradesh government.

(With inputs from agencies.)