News reading made mandatory in Himachal government schools

The Himachal Pradesh government has made news reading mandatory during morning assemblies in government schools across the state. On Tuesday, a notification issued by the Education Department formalised the directive, aiming to enhance general awareness and communication skills of students.

This move comes after Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s recent surprise visit to Government Senior Secondary School, Baga Sarahan in Kullu district, where an interaction with government school students left him disappointed, as they failed to give correct responses to questions relating to current affairs.

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A department spokesperson said that this directive follows the Chief Minister’s instructions, aimed at improving students’ general awareness and communication skills.

“The decision was prompted by the Chief Minister who expressed concern over students’ limited awareness of current affairs,” he added.

Emphasizing the need to supplement academic learning with practical knowledge, the Chief Minister stressed that initiatives like this are vital for preparing students for competitive examinations and real-world challenges.

To implement the directive, the department has issued detailed guidelines to all Deputy Directors and school heads, he said, adding that schools have been instructed to ensure the regular availability of both English and Hindi newspapers to support this initiative.

“These resources will help students enhance their reading comprehension, vocabulary, pronunciation, and public speaking skills,” the spokesperson said. “The goal is to encourage confident participation in assemblies and foster critical thinking.”

According to the notification issued by the Directorate of School Education Additional Director (Administration), the objective is to enhance students’ general knowledge and awareness of current affairs, improve students’ reading comprehension and public speaking skills, to foster a habit of staying informed and engaging with the world around them, to broaden vocabulary and improve pronunciation of the students and to provide a platform for students to actively participate and build confidence.

The guidelines for implementation include selection of news by students, under the guidance or assistance of a designated teacher and the selection of age-appropriate and relevant international, national, state, and sports news items.

“Emphasis should be given to general knowledge, educational developments, environmental issues, scientific advancements, and important national or international or state events. Sensational or inappropriate content must be strictly avoided,” maintains the notification.

“The teachers have been directed to supervise the news selection and reading process to ensure accuracy, clarity, and appropriateness of content. Teachers may also briefly elaborate on complex news items if necessary. The news reading segment should be concise, ideally lasting for 3-5 minutes, to maintain the flow of the morning assembly,” states the notification.