Jharkhand Education Initiative: Boosting Child Literacy and Reading Habits

Taking to STOI, state project director at Jharkhand Education Project Council (JEPC) Shashi Ranjan highlighted the state education department’s comprehensive and multi-pronged approach aiming to strengthen literacy and develop lifelong reading habits among children.

Q : What initiatives has the state education department launched to promote book reading among students?


A : The annual reading campaign held during Aug and Sept encourages reading beyond textbooks through activities like read-aloud, storytelling, role play and dramatics. A major highlight is the Read-a-Thon, which saw participation of nearly seven lakh students in 2025 and earned national record recognition. Additionally, 50 child-friendly libraries have been set up in Ranchi and Bokaro, along with libraries in all DIETs and at JCERT to strengthen literacy support.

Q : How does the department plan to scale up district-level efforts like book donation drives and community libraries?

A : To ensure uniform expansion, a state library manual has been developed to guide library setup, book selection and management. All govt schools have received new children’s literature over the past three years, with the initiative set to continue. Scalable models like Hazaribag’s cluster library system and growing community participation are helping build a broader, and sustainable reading ecosystem across the state.

Q : Are govt schools being instructed to strengthen libraries and dedicate time for reading activities?

A : Dedicated modules on the effective use of libraries have been integrated into state-level FLN trainings, ensuring teachers are equipped to manage libraries and conduct meaningful reading activities. DIETs in several districts have further supported this effort through targeted orientations and trainings. To institutionalize reading, a directive issued in 2022 mandates at least one library period per week for every grade.

Q. Is there a plan to integrate reading-based programmes with digital education platforms?

A. The department currently prioritizes print-based reading, particularly for early grades, considering accessibility challenges in rural and tribal areas. At the same time, digital platforms are being used as supplementary resources. Teachers and students can access digital libraries and stories through platforms such as Literacy Cloud and StoryWeaver. Capacity-building courses on library management are also available, and teachers are supported through continuous professional development via offline and online platforms like DIKSHA and J-Guruji.

Q. How is the government ensuring access to books in rural and tribal areas?

A. Access to books in rural and tribal regions is being strengthened primarily through school libraries, which often serve as the only reading spaces in these communities. Every year, the department supplies children’s literature to schools across the state. Additionally, story-based materials for early grades have been developed and distributed widely, ensuring age-appropriate and level-based reading support. To promote linguistic inclusion, the state has developed children’s books in major local languages such as Santhali, Ho, Mundari, Khadia and Kudukh. Ongoing efforts are also focused on developing more local-language content through collaborations with teachers.