The Uttarakhand government has directed all 17,000 government schools in the state to begin reciting a verse from the Bhagavad Gita at every morning assembly, expanding a pilot that started this week. Teachers have been asked to explain the meaning and practical application of each selected shloka, with a “shloka of the week” posted on school notice boards to encourage discussion. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Education Minister Dhan Singh Rawat said the measure is part of a broader push to incorporate Indian knowledge systems into classrooms under the National Education Policy 2020. In the same review meeting, the state asked the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to integrate lessons from the Bhagavad Gita and the Ramayana into the formal curriculum from the next academic session. A written order from Secondary Education Director Mukul Kumar Sati has been circulated to district education officials for immediate implementation. Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including national general secretary Tarun Chugh, have endorsed the initiative, while former chief minister Harish Rawat also welcomed the focus on ‘karma yoga’. The directive has sparked a wider political debate over the role of religious texts in public education, but state officials say the move is intended to instil ethical values and critical thinking rather than promote sectarian instruction.