Delhi Schools to Introduce 30-Minute Daily Reading Period for Students

Delhi schools will introduce a 30-minute daily reading period, along with library activities and reading initiatives to encourage stronger reading habits among students.
on Aug 10, 2026

30 Minutes Set Aside Daily for Reading in Delhi Schools

New Delhi: The Delhi government will make sure that 30 minutes are set aside every day for reading in its schools, as per a new initiative that seeks to foster a reading culture among students.

As per guidelines provided by the Delhi Directorate of Education (DoE) for the implementation of the Samagra Shiksha-Delhi programme, schools have been asked to incorporate a period of reading without making any changes to an already existing class period. This activity has been incorporated within a one-year-long program, which emphasizes the importance of reading and library in schools.

The assigned reading period may include activities such as reading silently, discussing books and other reading activities. It has also been suggested that schools organize a 10-15 minute long “Drop Everything and Read” period every day.

The program includes various activities that the schools could carry out during the entire academic year. This involves having weekly trips to the library, read-aloud sessions and book talks, meant to motivate students to engage with various forms of literary materials.

The schools have been advised to develop a reading wall where students could post their reviews of books, quotations from books, drawings and suggestions for reading. Other activities that have been suggested include having reading passports, conducting book drives and having newspaper reading discussions.

This program also transcends the school boundaries. Twice a year, there will be family reading weeks at schools for the parents and students to join in the reading programs. In addition, an annual reading festival will form part of the reading program as well.

The DoE has further instructed the schools to ensure that the library is student-friendly. This is because according to the guidelines, there must be at least 20 books for each student in the library.

It is further expected that the schools will record the performance of the reading activity on a monthly basis and keep a tab on the participation of students in the activity.
The new initiative tries to make sure that reading finds its place once again in the routine of students, especially in this era where conventional reading is competing with other entertainments. The initiative attempts to develop a reading culture through reading periods, library activities, and family participation.