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The Manipuri ancient day martial art Thang-Ta is receiving a fillip as the Government of Manipur's Department of Art and Culture has taken the forward step in popularizing and preserving the ancient warrior school by including it in the school syllabus.

In order to make its education effective and speed it up, the government established a "Committee for the Formulation of Common Syllabus of Thang-Ta." It is manned by expert members including veteran Thang-Ta masters, state sports authorities, and officers of education department at least Padma Shri awardee N. Khelchandra Singh, Manipur's culture living legend, as chairman.

Developed from ancient Meitei folk performance, literally "sword and spear" Thang-Ta is rather a war skill drill with religious teaching and Manipuri war path and art custom. Performed in days of yore both as war art on the field and religious ritual dance, it is today rediscovered and relearned in schools and playgrounds.

Inclusion of Thang-Ta in school syllabus is being considered as a culture revolution, wherein the student gets an opportunity to be rooted to his culture and derives physical strength, discipline, and mental acuteness. It also provides him with a feeling of pride and identification, particularly in a state which is famous for its cultural richness.

Savant-teachers and cultural historians welcomed the initiative with warm arms, reminding us that by bringing ancient arts into the school syllabus not only is the past preserved but models of learning outside the academic mainstream are produced.

Day and night, Syllabus committee works to develop age-based training modules, certificates, and courses for teachers so that Thang-Ta can be imparted with dignity and authenticity it deserves.

While the state govt has again shelved the three-language policy as it holds "wide-ranging consultations", experts said questions such as lack of teachers and pressure of formal education on kids at an early age must be taken into account too. They said schools have been left in limbo due to the policy paralysis of Mantralaya.

The state last week reversed its move to make Hindi compulsory at primary level and provided a choice to schools or parents to opt for an alternate Indian language and announced that there shall be a teacher for the chosen language if 20 students in a class opt for it.

Madhav Suryavanshi of Shikshan Vikas Manch stated that while the state can release a govt decision making it compulsory to teach three languages, it has "no capacity to implement it". "Textbooks have not been printed in large numbers yet, and by the time they get distributed and into the hands of students, how many months will it take? And where are the teachers coming from? In my school alone, there are four teachers for six sanctioned posts. Even if we manage to get the teachers, they have to be trained."

On the instability resulting from Mantralaya, he stated, "Govt is not able to hold a stance in any one direction."

Another controversial aspect of the policy was the three languages taught from Class 1. Shruti Panse, a linguist who works with school kids, stated, "Until the pre-primary level, everything is informal. All studies say that formal education can begin only by the age of six." School education process begins with listening, followed by basic communication, and then reading and writing. "Having all these phases of education within a single year is a poor idea, because it imposes pressure on children," she further said.

On govt's assertion that it is easier for kids to understand languages when they are younger, she said, "I agree it is easier, but it has to be informal. Kids are already studying a foreign language with English in a formal manner, and learning another subject of formal schooling is too much for a child." Panse added that physical education and arts classes have been cut down to provide space for a third language. "Out-of-class activities enjoy their own merits and form an integral part of a child's mental development. Such a step would diminish the enthusiasm a child has for school and education only."

Schools have been left in limbo due to a failure on the part of govt to announce anything clearly. The vice-principal of a school run in the Marathi medium stated, "We have not altered the curriculum or added a third language as we anticipate that the policy will be altered. We are discussing with our trustees further action."

Scarcely eight months since sweeping reforms were instituted in October 2024, the Maharashtra school education department has constituted a new, seven-member committee to examine the working of the state's Sainik Schools and review the revised policy.

A government alert in this matter was released on June 20, 2025 by the school education and sports department. The initiative comes in wake of growing concerns over the poor percentage of students from the state's 38 Sainik Schools getting selected for the National Defence Academy (NDA), the elite defence training institute based at Khadakwasla near Pune.

Deputy secretary of Maharashtra school education and sports department, Sameer Sawant, stated that a choice to introduce one Sainik School offering military education in every district had been made by way of a government resolution (GR) on September 26, 1995. According to this policy, 38 such schools are now functioning in the state. Nonetheless, these institutions have failed to meet desired standards.

Sawant explained, "The terms of work for the new committee have been set as a visit to the Sainik Schools, a study of the current scenario, recommending required changes in the revised policy, and proposing steps to augment representation from the Sainik Schools of the state."

Last month, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had ordered the constitution of a state-level committee to bring about further educational reforms in military schools. "The Sainik School policy was initiated in order to ensure greater students from Maharashtra take part in the NDA selection process, and to develop discipline, confidence, teamwork, and leadership among them. But there have been long-standing calls for the schools to improve," Fadnavis had stated while presiding over a meeting on reforms in military schools.

School education minister Dadaji Bhuse also assured that the government is keen to offer quality education in these institutions (Sainik Schools). "The committee should conduct on-the-spot visits to the schools, study the issues confronting them, and their requirements in detail, and file a detailed report within the given time period," Bhuse said.

A post-policy review inspection on October 9, 2024, revealed that many Sainik Schools are not living up to basic standards. Most students are not being provided with proper military training and guidance—factors that are instrumental in NDA preparation.

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.