Lucknow, Sep 7 (IANS): The secondary education department in Uttar Pradesh has issued directives to make a 15-minute morning assembly mandatory in all schools of the state.

The move came a day after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath asked principals to make morning assembly in schools a part of curriculum and to reach 15 minutes before it starts.

The order said that if a school starts at 10 a.m., then morning assembly should be held from 9.45 a.m..

“In the assembly, students will be encouraged to take pledge for different purposes like cleanliness, talk about quotable quotes of great personalities, discuss important news of the day, quiz on general topics and recitation of national anthem,” said a notification issued by Mahendra Dev, director, secondary education on Wednesday.

“As a part of ‘naya sawera’, two senior officers will visit schools during assembly hours and interact with students on topics of life values, discipline, career, daily routine and recent contemporary topics. Schools are required to invite past pupils and successful citizens of the area.”