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The Himachal Pradesh state government has made it mandatory for reading news in morning assemblies of the state government schools. On Tuesday, a notification issued by the Education Department made the order official, the goal being to impart general awareness and communications skills to the students.

This move comes in the wake of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu's surprise visit last week to Government Senior Secondary School, Baga Sarahan in Kullu district, where an interaction with government school students disappointed him as they were unable to give appropriate responses to questions relating to current affairs. 

A department spokesperson further stated that this move is a follow-up on the directions of the Chief Minister, aimed at improving students' all-around awareness and communication skills.

The initiative was prompted by the Chief Minister who was alarmed at students' minimal exposure to contemporary affairs," he added.

Emphasizing the need for connecting academic information to practical information, the Chief Minister noted that such programs are necessary in preparing students for competitive exams and real challenges.

To make the directive operational, the department has circulated elaborate guidelines to all Deputy Directors and school heads, he added, informing that schools have also been directed to provide regular availability of both English and Hindi newspapers to facilitate the initiative.

These materials will assist students in improving their reading comprehension, vocabulary, pronunciation, and public speaking abilities," the spokesperson continued. "The idea is to encourage confident participation in assemblies and build critical thinking.".

According to the Directorate of School Education Additional Director (Administration) issued notice, the goal is to enhance students' overall general knowledge and awareness of contemporary issues, improve students' reading and speaking abilities, for establishing a habit of staying up to date and aware about the surroundings, to improve the vocabulary skills and pronunciation of the students and to provide a platform for students to speak actively and build confidence.

The guidelines for implementation comprise selection of news for students, with support or direction of a designated teacher and selection of appropriate age and pertinent international, national, state, and sporting news.

"General knowledge, educational developments, environmental issues, scientific developments, and important national or international or state events should be given attention. All efforts should be made to avoid sensational or obscene content," states the notification.

Teachers are directed to oversee the process of reading and selection of news to ensure accuracy, clarity, and appropriateness of content. Where necessary, teachers can also briefly clarify complex news items. Reading the news should be brief, ideally 3-5 minutes to maintain the morning assembly continuity," states the notice.

Even as Assam takes pride in its journey towards becoming a "developed state," reality on the ground is anything but that for some—at least so far as education is concerned. Located within the Sribhumi area under the South Karimganj constituency is an incongruous address: the 1144 No. Purba Khagail Lower Primary School. With only 72 students and a pitiful few teachers, it is nothing more than a survival location and not a measure of progress.

The school, if a school it is, runs under conditions that would render even the barest minimum a luxury. Cracked walls, cracked floors, no proper furniture, non-functional toilets, and one dilapidated tin-roofed building are the sole classroom for children who can dream big. Class is usually adjourned—or sometimes even cancelled—on rainy days because rainwater pours in from roof leakages.

But every morning, children come in uniform, their books and expectations, unblemished by what they see. Teachers too have turned into caregivers—sweeping the floors, comforting frightened children during thunderstorms, and doing everything they can to create a sense of learning.

The people complain that they have raised the issue time and again, but nothing concrete is done except making verbal promises. "Politicians" come to our doorstep at election time, take pictures, and vanish," said a mother. "Our children want more. They want respect."

What's ironic is the yawning gap between Assam's digital literacy initiatives and smart classrooms, and schools here in disrepair. While metros boast of coding classes and e-learning material, children here wait for decent tables and drinking water.

True development begins at the grassroots level. No manner of possibility that a state can pride itself on progress when the youngest minds are lying on dirty floors under decayed roofs. If indeed we are to invest in the future, then we begin by securing the present—especially where the present has been so long neglected.

The Directorate of Education (DoE), Govt. of NCT of Delhi has instructed all the concerned institutions to adopt the minimum age condition of 6 years for admission to Class 1 from session 2026-27 in terms of provisions made under National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009. The foundation stage has been reorganized to offer three years of pre-primary education prior to Class 1.

NEP 2020 substituted the 10+2 structure with the 5+3+3+4 structure, reclassifying the school education into four development stages: five years of foundation stage, three years of the preparation stage, three years of middle stage and four years of the secondary stage.

The DoE has directed all the Heads of Government, Government-Aided, and Recognized Unaided Private Schools to implement changes from the academic year 2026-27.

Pre-Primary Stages of school will be reorganized according to the NEP 2020 and will have three years of pre-primary school going before Class 1. The kids will be at Nursery (Bal Vatika/Preschool 1) age 3 years, Lower KG (Bal Vatika/Preschool 2) age 4 years, and the final stage of pre-primary is Upper KG (Bal Vatika/Preschool 3) age 5 years.

"A child will be eligible for Class I only if he/she reaches the age of 6 years from Academic Session 2026-27 onwards" the government circular stated.

For making it participatory and inclusive, all stakeholder groups concerned - schools, School Management Committees, school associations, students, teachers, professionals, subject experts, researchers, scholars, and members of general public were invited to provide their comments on or before July 10, 2025.

In reply to allegations of declining general education standards, a high-level meeting of the General Education Department has decided to implement a minimum marks scheme from Class V to IX. This was revealed by Education Minister V Sivankutty at a press meet in Kozhikode on Saturday.

It had been agreed earlier that students should get at least 30 per cent marks in the year-end Class VIII exam, subject-wise, and that students failing to achieve it should be promoted to the next class by providing special study assistance during holidays.

This proposition attracted considerable social attention. Students, teachers and parents were made aware of the significance of the study support. In addition to this, we also were made aware of the significance of attaining the learning goals in each class. This is not an activity that one should undertake after the end-of-year examination, according to the minister.

For Grades V to IX, 30 per cent marks in subject-wise written examinations. It is not meant to limit or screen out children's brilliance to 30 per cent but to take all the children up to the level of acceptability prescribed by the curriculum.

Department of education level monitoring will be managed to support project implementation. The issues will be trained at the state level to Deputy Directors of Education, DEOs, AEOs, DIET Principals, Vidyakiranam District Coordinators, and Samagra Shiksha Keralam District Project Coordinators. The concerned education officers will provide training to the head teachers of schools under their circle.

All the head teachers of government schools in Kerala will be trained by July 15. Cluster training on July 19 has also been scheduled involving all teachers in school-level activities of the overall quality education programme, early identification of the learning status of the students, and providing necessary learning support.

Revised textbooks for Special Schools

This year, for the first time in state education history, a decision was made to prepare and distribute special textbooks for special deaf school children. The books were prepared under SCERT guidance considering the special abilities of the children. Release and distribution function will be held on June 30 at Government Vocational Higher Secondary School for the Deaf, Jagathy, Thiruvananthapuram.

HEAD TEACHERS MUST ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY OF MID-DAY MEAL SCHEME

Meanwhile, the minister again emphasized that head teachers must also assume the responsibility of the controversial modified menu of the mid-day meals scheme such as vegetable fried rice, lemon rice and vegetable biryani. "The schools can raise funds from the CSR fund, NGOs and individuals to implement the project.".

The headmasters have to manage such tasks and they get a salary for that. Purchasing goods on credit and paying them later is a routine affair. No head teacher will go into debt to provide for children," the minister responded, in response to head teachers' complaint that there is not enough government financial support available to run the midday meals scheme.

PTAs in schools to be strengthened

The government is seriously considering making the Parent Teacher Associations of public schools stronger academically. As part of curriculum reform, it has been planned to prepare books for parents and provide orientation accordingly. The Department of General Education is going to conduct district-level, state-level art and sports competitions for PTAs this year in order to enable parents to become active participants in school activities. Minister Sivankutty also criticized the Union Government in the context of the fund crisis in Samagra Shiksha Keralam schemes.

"If interventions/activities being performed by Samagra Shiksha Keralam are not carried out, a situation will be achieved where a major portion of children from backward classes will not be able to get into school. Samagra Shiksha Keralam is implementing a centrally sponsored scheme.". Though Kerala is funding this, the Centre has stopped the funds stating the state has rejected the PM SHRI scheme. The students of common people and marginal classes would be affected by this," Sivankutty alleged.

A wave of hope swept over the residents of the West Garo Hills district on June 18 when Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma opened the two-story building of the new Dalu Government Higher Secondary School. The initiative, made under the umbrella of Mission Education Phase I, is a significant step in the direction of the state's drive towards rural educational infrastructure development.

Speaking of the purpose, CM Sangma underscored that the vision is not merely constructing classrooms. "We are dedicated to the all-round development of our youth — from sports and education to music and entrepreneurship," he said.

In a private message on his official X handle, he posted, "We have reconstructed and built new government schools and colleges in the past few years, and even established the Captain Williamson Sangma State University, the first in our state."

Through the investment of nearly ₹3,000 crore in sectors like youth entrepreneurship, sports, and education, Sangma reiterated the commitment of the government towards the building of the next generation. Initiatives like CM Elevate and PRIME form the crux of this exercise.

In the afternoon, he also inaugurated the PRIME Hub in Baghmara — a hub which was envisioned to make local entrepreneurs, self-help groups, and farmers stronger. "PRIME Hubs are becoming economic hubs, catalysing activity in favour of communities in livelihood-generating initiatives," he posted on Twitter, inaugurating the centre in favour of region people.

For Dalu's students and future entrepreneurs in Baghmara, the day was never about ribbon-cutting alone — it was a vow. A vow that even in the remoteness of the location, Meghalaya's youth will be provided with opportunities so that they can dream larger, reach higher, and build bigger lives.

In Sangma's words and deeds, the message came across clearly: development is not about buildings, but about human lives — and it starts with making the young strong.

Seven states were recommended by the School Education Department to adopt a common board in classes 10 and 12 after the department's analysis put the seven states in the red flag for registering 66 per cent of student failures during last year, officials reported.

There are seven states in the nation that are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Kerala, Manipur, Odisha, Telangana and West Bengal.

There are 66 school boards of the nation, of which there are three national-level boards and 63 state-level boards (54 regular and 12 open boards),

While the first 33 boards cover 97 per cent of students, the remaining 33 boards cover a meager 3 per cent of students.

"Common board for class 10 and 12 is the future for education to be simple. In the absence of a common board, there are poor educational outcomes. We have recommended these states to implement a common board," School Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar stated.

22.17 lakh Class 10 and 20.16 lakh Class 12 students failed in the whole country in 2024.

Though the position in the figures changed during the decade, government officials maintain that it is still a significant hindrance to greater retention and promotion to higher education.

"Role of National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) in such states came into prominence to bring the failed students into education. NIOS's current visibility near Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana (where lowest failure rates are observed) has to be carried into other states.".

"Standardisation of assessment procedure, curriculums, setting of papers, elevation (to the next class), exam duration also require Boards' attention," Kumar said.

The report said open school boards performed poorly, with only 54 per cent of Class 10 and 57 percent of Class 12 passing.

"Institutions like NIOS should complement efforts at dropout prevention, supplemented by Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan and increased parental involvement," Kumar said.

One of the trends seen is girls surpassing boys on most boards, particularly in science. Over 28 lakh girls cleared science, which overtook the 27.2 lakh in arts - a turnabout from previous trends and an increase from 23.3 lakh in 2022.

The report mentioned enormous disparities between students' performance in various medium of instruction.

Candidates in Malayalam and Odia mediums performed much better than counterparts writing in Kannada, Telugu or Assamese, a factor of regional differences. Those states with board systems which have been implemented, including Kerala, Odisha and Manipur, all recorded more than 97 per cent pass percentages, with Kerala recording 99.96 per cent.

Analysis report also registered Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVs) with good performances as 72 per cent of students passed in NEET-UG. Students of Kendriya and Navodaya Vidyalayas also did well in engineering entrance exams.

The NVs are residential, co-educational institutions providing quality modern education from Class VI to XII to meritorious students, predominantly from rural background.