Guwahati: The Times of India, in collaboration with Assam education department, on Tuesday launched its ‘TOI On Campus’ initiative in the state’s govt schools for the first time, aiming to strengthen reading habits, current-affairs awareness and classroom engagement among students.The pilot programme seeks to take learning beyond textbooks by regularly exposing students to news and developments in their communities, Assam, the country and the world.The launch was attended by Dipika Choudhury, Inspector of Schools, Kamrup (Metropolitan), and deputy director of secondary education; Dwijendra Nath Barthakur, former principal of Sonaram Higher Secondary School; Rongmilon Ahmed, district programme officer, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Kamrup Metro; and Binita Kalita Goswami, principal of Gopal Boro Government Higher Secondary School. Principals of nine govt schools were also present.Choudhury described the programme as a meaningful educational intervention designed to bring the world around students into their classrooms.“This is primarily a pilot project involving the govt and The Times of India. It will be the first such large-scale initiative to be undertaken in govt schools. Our idea is to ensure that these boys and girls can come forward and benefit from such initiatives. These are the kinds of steps that we need to take,” Choudhury said.She said reading an English newspaper daily could improve students’ language skills and deepen their knowledge of current affairs. The habit could be particularly beneficial for those preparing for competitive examinations such as UPSC, APSC and SSC, she added.Goswami welcomed the initiative and said regular exposure to newspapers would support students’ academic pursuits while broadening their understanding of the world.Barthakur, a distinguished educator, stressed the need to revive the habit of newspaper reading, particularly among students.“Those who read the editorial regularly gain a lot of knowledge. We often do not think about what is written in the editorial but they contain a great deal of information and analysis. If someone is preparing for a competitive examination or needs to study a particular subject, reading the editorial regularly can be very useful. If we can develop this habit among students, we can gradually revive the culture of newspaper reading,” he also said.As part of the initiative, TOI will organise quizzes for students at regular intervals — weekly, fortnightly or monthly. The contests will be based on news and current affairs published in the newspaper and read by students under the programme.
