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Chhattisgarh’s education department has ordered government schools to introduce daily Hindu prayers — including the Gayatri Mantra — alongside the national anthem and national song from the 2026–27 academic year, a move that began as the new term opened this week. The directive, issued to district education officers on June 12, is billed by officials as a measure to reinforce cultural values but has immediately drawn sharp criticism from the state opposition.
The circular sets out three fixed moments in the school day for collective activities. Morning assemblies are to feature the national anthem, national song, Deep Mantra, Saraswati Vandana, Guru Mantra and short readings from biographies of notable Indians. During the midday meal, students will recite a communal food prayer (Bhojan Mantra), and the day will close with the state song, the Gayatri Mantra and the Shanti Mantra.
What the order requires and how it will be enforced
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District Education Officers have been asked to monitor implementation, carry out inspections and propose administrative action against schools or principals that fail to comply. Officials said the intent is to foster patriotism, discipline and a connection to Indian traditions through routine cultural and value-based activities.
- Morning: national anthem, national song, Deep Mantra, Saraswati Vandana, Guru Mantra, biography readings
- Midday: collective Bhojan Mantra during meals
- Closing: state song, Gayatri Mantra, Shanti Mantra
- Compliance: inspections by DEOs and possible administrative penalties for non-compliance
Opposition: secularism and inclusivity at stake
The Congress party accused the state government of imposing a particular religious tradition in government institutions and demanded the order be rescinded. Party officials said while national symbols are appropriate in schools, mandating specific religious chants could alienate students from different faiths.
Sushil Anand Shukla, head of the Congress communication wing in Chhattisgarh, warned the policy resembled the model of Saraswati Shishu Mandir schools linked to the RSS-affiliated Vidya Bharati. He said the directive risks turning public schools into institutions shaped by one organization’s outlook and could prompt calls from other communities to include passages from the Quran, Gurbani or the Bible.
Former deputy chief minister T S Singh Deo echoed those concerns, telling reporters that religious practices in government-run schools should be voluntary and that students and teachers uncomfortable with the recitations should be allowed to abstain.
What’s next — legal and practical questions
Experts and rights advocates will likely scrutinize the order for its compatibility with constitutional protections around freedom of religion and the secular character of state institutions. Administrative enforcement across thousands of schools poses practical challenges: teacher training, revised assembly routines, and supervision at different levels of the system.
Any sustained refusal by school authorities or parents could lead to formal complaints, litigation or calls for policy clarification from the state education department. For now, district officers have been tasked with implementing the directive and reporting back on compliance.
The unfolding debate puts a spotlight on how state education policy balances collective cultural programs with the plural religious makeup of classrooms — and whether a uniform mandate will withstand public and legal scrutiny as it rolls out across Chhattisgarh.
