Patna, The Bihar Education Department has issued a standardised timetable for all government schools, Sanskrit vidyalayas and madrasas in the state, making the singing of the national anthem compulsory immediately before dismissal. The move is intended to instil discipline and national pride among students.
Under the new “model timetable” signed by Director of Secondary Education Sajjan R., all state-run schools from primary to higher-secondary level will operate from 9.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. The schedule comprises:
– 9.30–10.00 a.m.: Morning assembly and prayer (including inspection of uniforms, hair and nails by teachers, followed by the Bihar state song, general knowledge sessions and news reading of news headlines). Attendance of all teachers and staff is mandatory.
– 10.00 a.m.–4.00 p.m.: Eight academic periods of 40 minutes each, with a 40-minute lunch break from 12.00–12.40 p.m.
– 4.00 p.m.: National anthem (to be played over loudspeakers, which schools are now required to install and use), followed by dismissal.
The directive applies uniformly to government schools, Sanskrit schools and madrasas receiving state aid. Private institutions are not covered by the order.
Officials described the changes as part of a broader effort to streamline operations, ensure minimum instructional hours and reinforce patriotic values. The compulsory use of loudspeakers for the anthem at closing time is a new requirement not previously mandated across the state.
The timetable comes amid continuing reforms in Bihar’s education sector, including recent drives to fill teaching vacancies and improve infrastructure. Earlier this week, the department sought updated vacancy data from districts ahead of the fourth phase of teacher recruitment under the Bihar Public Service Commission.
While the policy has been welcomed by some as a step toward greater discipline, teachers’ unions have privately raised concerns about the additional administrative burden of daily uniform checks and the cost of installing and maintaining loudspeaker systems in resource-constrained rural schools.
The new schedule takes immediate effect.
