To foster 'patriotism', students at government schools in Satna district of Madhya Pradesh would be instructed to answer the daily roll call with 'Jai Hind' from the next month.
"Students say 'yes sir' or 'yes madam' or 'present' during the roll call. What good do these English acknowledgements achieve? I have asked the principals of government schools in Satna to direct the students to say 'Jai Hind' from October 1," School Education Minister Vijay Shah told said.
"After this experiment works in Satna, we will send a proposal to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to introduce 'Jai Hind' during roll calls in all the 1.22 lakh government schools in Madhya Pradesh," he said.
"Jai Hind chants will foster love for the country and patriotism," the minister said, noting that the Army and para-military personnel use 'Jai Hind' as a greeting.
Shah also said that the national flag is being hoisted daily at government middle and high schools (from class VI to XII) for over a month in Madhya Pradesh now.
"This daily exercise is going to be replicated in primary schools too," he said.
"We have also sent an advisory to private schools affiliated to the MP Board of Secondary Education that they may hoist the national flag daily," the minister added.
"We have also prepared a proposal for clearance of gram panchayats to name schools in villages after the local army martyrs," Shah said.
IMAGE: Children during morning prayer at a school in Agartala. Photograph: Jayanta Dey/Reuters
