Reading Preamble to Constitution made compulsory for school students in Maharashtra

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MUMBAI: The Udhav Thackray government in Maharashtra has issued a circular which makes it compulsory for all school students to read the Preamble to the Constitution during their morning assemblies from January 26 onwards. The circular has been passed by the state's School Education Minister Varsha Gaikwad.

Talking to reporters, the minister said that the step has been taken to familiarise schoolchildren with the Indian Constitution.

''Reading out the Preamble is part of the “sovereignty of Constitution, the welfare of all” campaign. Students will recite the Preamble to the Constitution every day after morning prayers so that they understand its importance. It is an old government resolution, but we will implement it from January 26,” Gaikwad, a Congress MLA, said in Mumbai.

“If a child reads Preamble every day and takes an oath, he understands that he is a citizen of India. Similarly, he should understand the things laid down by the Constitution and learn those values,” she stated further 

It may be recalled that the previous Maharashtra government had adopted a resolution in this regard in February 2013, when the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party government was in power. 

The present Uddhav Thackeray-led coalition government is an alliance between the Shiv Sena, Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party.

The Education Minister has also directed divisional officials to periodically review the implementation of the order.

As per the order, both primary and secondary schools will have to follow the directive.

It may be noted that several groups of people protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act have recited the Preamble, which says that India is a “sovereign, socialist, secular and democratic republic”. 

It also aims to “secure justice, liberty, equality to all citizens and promote fraternity to maintain unity and integrity of the nation”. Gaikwad had earlier this month said that the state government will try its best not to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act, the National Register of Citizens and the National Population Register.

He said this while speaking during the “Students Against CAA and NRC” conference in Mumbai.