Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan launched a 100 days’ reading campaign ‘Padhe Bharat’ on New Year Day today.

The launch of the campaign is in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 which emphasises the promotion of joyful reading culture for children by ensuring the availability of age-appropriate reading books for children in local/mother tongue/regional/tribal Language.

While launching the campaign, Pradhan underlined the importance of reading that children need to develop to ensure continuous and lifelong learning. He also stated that the habit of reading, if inculcated at an early age, helps in brain development, enhances imagination and provides a conducive learning environment for children.

Pradhan emphasised that reading is the foundation of learning, which motivates students to read books independently, develops creativity, critical thinking, vocabulary and the ability to express both verbally and in writing. It helps children to relate to their surroundings and real-life situations, he added.

He stressed the need to create an enabling environment in which students read for pleasure and develop their skills through a process that is enjoyable and sustainable and which remains with them for life.

The ‘Padhe Bharat’ campaign will focus on children studying in Balvatika to Grade 8. The reading campaign will be organised for 100 days (14 weeks) starting from 1 January 2022 to 10 April 2022. The reading campaign aims to have the participation of all stakeholders at the national and the state level, including children, teachers, parents, community, educational administrators etc. One activity per week per group has been designed with the focus on making reading enjoyable and building a life-long association with the joy of reading.

The 100 days’ reading campaign will also focus on Indian languages, including mother tongue/local/regional languages. It is in this context that 21st February, which is celebrated as International Mother Tongue Day, has also been integrated with this campaign. This day will be celebrated with the activity of ”Kahani Padho Apni Bhasha Main (Read the story in own language)” across the country by encouraging children to read in their mother tongue/local language. This will help in promoting the local language and the culture of society.