'Surya Namaskar' compulsory in Rajasthan schools

Rajasthan’s BJP government has directed all state-run and private schools to introduce “Surya Namaskar” and yoga in morning assemblies for secondary and senior secondary classes. 

A new circular issued by the school education department has provided a clear-cut definition of the activities to be performed during the morning assembly for secondary and senior secondary students. 

The order is applicable to about 48,000 schools, of which 28,000 are state-run.The circular has asked morning assemblies to be extended by 20 minutes and include singing of the national song Vande Mataram and the national anthem besides “Surya Namaskar” and yoga.

According to orders, the first five minutes of the assembly will be set aside for singing the national anthem, the national song, the morning prayer and oath taking to perform the duties for the nation. 

Students will spend the next ten minutes performing yoga and “Surya Namaskar” and the last five minutes for reading Hindi and English newspapers. 

“The new changes (to the morning assembly) will create a congenial learning atmosphere,” state school minister Vasudev Devnani said. 

“(The exercises) help students improve concentration and retention power, besides improving their physical health and overall personality,” he added. Private schools 

To avert a direct face-off with private schools, the government did not direct them to follow the orders but has asked the education department to ensure they are complied with. 

While the state’s minority communities accused the BJP government of saffronising the school education system by making singing of Vande Mataram and performing “Surya Namaskar” compulsory, the All Rajasthan School Teacher’s Union pointed out that introducing “Surya Namaskar” in morning prayers is technically incorrect. 

“‘Surya Namaskar’ should ideally coincide with the sunrise, whereas schools open at 8 am in summers and at 10 am in winter,” ARSTU president Ramkrishna Agarwal said.