UP Government Makes Newspaper Reading Mandatory in Schools to Reduce Screen Time

29 Dec 2025 16:16 IST

To reduce the screen time of students and strengthen their general knowledge about the world, the UP Government has decided to provide both Hindi and English newspapers in the library session, ensuring easy access for all students.

According to the new instruction, schools must dedicate at least 10 minutes during the morning assembly every day for newspaper reading, important editorials, and major news from national, international, and sports sections.

In this order, it also includes the daily “word of the day” activity for students to improve their vocabulary. Five difficult words from newspapers will be chosen and displayed on school notice boards.

Instructions driven by the government:

UP Government

The aim behind this is to enhance general knowledge, daily awareness, vocabulary, and critical thinking while also preparing them for competitive examinations and sensitising them to the risks of fake news.

In this rule, schools are instructed to provide papers, magazines, organise editorial-based writing and group discussions for Classes IX to XII, and host crossword and Sudoku competitions

Instead of prizes and trophies, schools are instructed to gift books.

What is the result expected behind this rule:

The busyness of the student's mind into physical activity like newspaper reading is expected to include writing exercises and group discussions for students of Classes 9 to 12, and conducting fun competitions like crosswords and Sudoku. For younger students, schools are advised to promote scrapbook-making using newspaper cuttings to help engagingly build interest in current affairs. It helps in concentration with social awareness.

The order also allows students to use government district libraries, requires them to borrow at least one book outside their syllabus every week, and offers incentives like appreciation certificates to encourage regular and enthusiastic reading.

The initiative also introduced the “No Bouquet, Only Book” campaign, which encourages schools to give books instead of bouquets or trophies at school events.

Both directives have been shared with all divisional education officials, district school inspectors, and basic education officers.

UP Government: Why this decision was taken:

Reduction of screen time: This decision is generally taken for the reduction in the screen time of students.
Social awareness: Newspaper reading helped to generate awareness, like current news, international, sports, and stay aware of what’s happening around them
Vocabulary improvement: Newspaper reading provides words that help to improve your vocabulary.
Communication skills: It helps in improving communication skills by reading the news in a standard format of language in detail.
Build a reading habit: Daily reading news newspaper helps to promote your reading skills.
Maintenance in discipline: reading the news, being alert by social awareness, helps in maintaining discipline about current situations.
Development in personality: overall personality development, improvement in skills, like reading, learning, and awareness.

In simple words, the UP government took this decision to make students aware of what's happening and to reduce screen time and develop their skills.

UP Government