Chhattisgarh Makes Gayatri Mantra and Bhojan Mantra Daily Rituals in Schools From 2026-27, Congress Cries Foul

From the 2026-27 academic session, every school in Chhattisgarh must recite the Gayatri Mantra, the Bhojan Mantra and other Hindu prayers daily alongside the national anthem, a move the Congress has strongly opposed.

The daily routine inside Chhattisgarh's schools is set for a notable change from the next academic session. The state government has decided that from the 2026-27 academic session, every school must recite the Gayatri Mantra and several other Hindu prayers each day, in addition to the national anthem and the national song. The instruction is fully mandatory. Notably, the new academic session in the state has already begun on Tuesday.

The government's reasoning is straightforward. By holding daily cultural, educational and values based activities, it wants to kindle a sense of patriotism among students, boost their intellectual growth, and connect them to Indian culture and traditions.

Three Fixed Slots Through the School Day
According to an official, the School Education Department sent the order to all District Education Officers (DEOs) on 12 June. Under it, every school will now have to conduct these compulsory activities at three separate times during the day.

As per the new guidelines, the morning assembly will be the most elaborate. It will feature the national anthem, the national song, the Deep Mantra, the Saraswati Vandana, the Guru Mantra, along with readings from the biographies of great personalities. At lunchtime, all students together will recite the Bhojan Mantra. The final session of the school day will then include the state song, the Gayatri Mantra and the Shanti Mantra.

Administrative Action for Any Slack
The official said the aim behind the entire initiative is to instil patriotism, discipline, moral values and cultural awareness in students, while binding them to Indian traditions and national ideals.

The government has left little room for laxity here. DEOs have been directed to ensure the order is followed strictly. Officials will inspect schools from time to time, and any school management or principal found violating the set guidelines could face administrative action.

Congress Questions the Move, Calls It Against the Constitution
The decision had barely surfaced before the Congress went on the offensive. The party asked why reciting Hindu prayers should be made compulsory when students of other faiths also study in these schools. The Congress accused the BJP government of trying to impose the RSS agenda through schools.

Sushil Anand Shukla, chairman of the communication department of the Chhattisgarh Congress, said India's education system has traditionally given equal respect to all religions. He warned that the mandatory recitation of Hindu religious mantras in government schools could push people from other communities to demand the inclusion of verses from the Quran, the Gurbani or the Bible.

Senior Congress leader and former Deputy Chief Minister T.S. Singh Deo also criticised the step. He described it bluntly as being against the spirit of the Constitution.

What this means for you
• Across India: The decision reignites the debate over whether religious prayers should be compulsory in government schools, an issue that touches parents and students nationwide.
• In Chhattisgarh: From the 2026-27 session, students in every school in the state must recite the national anthem, Gayatri Mantra, Bhojan Mantra and other mantras at three fixed times daily, and school managements or principals who flout the rule could face administrative action.

Questions & Answers

1. When will the new rule in Chhattisgarh take effect?
The rule will apply from the 2026-27 academic session, while the state's new session has already begun on Tuesday.

2. At what times will the recitations take place during the school day?
Three times a day: the morning assembly with the national anthem, national song, Deep Mantra, Saraswati Vandana and Guru Mantra; the Bhojan Mantra at lunch; and the state song, Gayatri Mantra and Shanti Mantra in the final session.

3. When and to whom was the order issued?
The School Education Department issued the order to all District Education Officers (DEOs) on 12 June.

4. Why is the Congress opposing it?
The Congress argues that students of other faiths also study in these schools, so making Hindu prayers compulsory is wrong and goes against the spirit of the Constitution.

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