New Delhi : Students in government schools across Uttar Pradesh will now read newspapers in class every day, with structured group discussions and news cuttings, as the Yogi government tries to counter rising mobile use among children and rebuild regular reading habits through a series of linked academic and library-based measures.
Officials in the secondary and basic education departments report that many students currently spend more time on mobile screens than with books, which has raised concern about focus and comprehension levels, so the state has opted for daily print reading tasks that demand attention, discussion and reflection rather than passive scrolling.
Under the new directions, students must read newspapers during school hours, then participate in group discussions on selected news items, while teachers will also assign news cutting work, where learners bring and file relevant clippings, which is expected to improve awareness of current affairs and sharpen critical thinking through regular, supervised analysis.
Additional Chief Secretary for Secondary and Basic Education, Sarathi Sen Sharma, has circulated a formal order to all education officers and district inspectors of schools, asking every institution to arrange newspapers and magazines, and to ensure that the daily reading, discussion and cutting activities are implemented as a routine part of classroom engagement.
UP schools newspaper reading and weekly library book issue
The same directive states that each student must be issued at least one book from the library every week, separate from textbooks, covering genres such as stories, novels, biographies or motivational literature, so that independent reading becomes a habit rather than an exam-driven exercise tied only to the syllabus.
Schools have been told that students should present summaries of the books they read during the morning assembly, which is expected to support speaking skills and confidence, while also allowing teachers to track actual reading; educational tours will include visits to state district libraries or other libraries to introduce students to layouts, services and practical usage.
UP schools newspaper reading, school magazines and ‘Book’ campaign
Each school will prepare its own newspaper or magazine, edited by students, to encourage writing skills and give learners a platform for reporting, opinion pieces and creative work; those who read the highest number of books in a month and present the most summaries in assemblies or class will receive appreciation certificates from the school administration.
The state has also proposed that school students gain entry to government district libraries more easily, and that a campaign titled “Not a bouquet, a book” be run, under which winners and participants in cultural programmes across the state are given books instead of trophies or mementoes, so that reading culture grows among both students and general readers.
Together, these steps indicate a policy shift that links classroom reading, library access, public recognition and cultural events, with the common goal of reducing mobile dependency and building a steady habit of reading newspapers, books and magazines among children in Uttar Pradesh’s government schools.
