In a decisive push to combat rising digital screen dependency and cultivate early literary curiosity, the Uttar Pradesh Basic Education Department has formulated an extensive reading and holistic development roadmap across government council schools. Prompted by direct guidelines issued during a departmental review chaired by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Basic Education, the initiative seeks to transition primary and upper primary students away from addictive smartphone habits and toward structured intellectual engagement through regular print media. The phased program will directly impact 4,67,128 children enrolled across 4,788 government schools within the four districts of the Chitrakoot division, encompassing 1,82,451 students across 1,725 schools in Banda, 1,15,434 pupils across 1,256 institutions in Chitrakoot, 91,313 learners across 967 schools in Hamirpur, and 77,930 students across 840 schools in Mahoba.

Mandatory 20-Minute Daily Reading Sessions and Class-Level Recognition

Under the newly enforced administrative framework, functional library corners will be re-energized in every primary and middle school, supported by dedicated departmental funding allocations earmarked specifically for daily newspaper procurement. Institutional heads and headmasters are now mandated to dedicate at least 20 minutes immediately following the morning prayer assembly exclusively to guided newspaper analysis and book reading. Teachers will monitor reading comprehension, vocabulary acquisition, and analytical discussion, selecting the top five student readers from each class. To foster intrinsic motivation and celebrate academic curiosity, these high-performing students will be honored publicly with commemorative badges, achievement certificates, and curated storybooks during special school gatherings.

'Reader of the Week' Showcases and Comprehensive Self-Defense Training

To build an enduring culture of healthy academic competition, every school will evaluate weekly progress and designate an exemplary child as the "Reader of the Week." The chosen student’s photograph, accompanied by a brief citation of their reading accomplishments, will be prominently displayed on the central school notice board, providing visible inspiration for peers to explore morning headlines, insightful editorials, and uplifting human-interest stories. Recognizing that intellectual agility requires physical empowerment, the Basic Education Department is concurrently deploying certified professional trainers to run physical education, arts, and crafts programs, while female students across residential Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV) will receive specialized judo and karate martial arts training to prepare them for district, state, and national sports meets.