Amid the controversy over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to schoolchildren on Teachers’ Day, it has emerged that the Union HRD Ministry has indeed issued a written directive to states asking all schools to make arrangements for viewing the telecast, and stating that it would take stock of the number of schools and children who viewed the interaction.

“All the schools may make arrangements to assemble the students from 2:30 pm to 4:45 pm on that day in order that the children may view the Prime Minister’s address on TV,” says a circular sent by the ministry to the Education Secretaries of all states on August 27.

While the circular, issued by Rajarshi Bhattacharya, Secretary, School Education & Literacy, stops short of making it mandatory for schools to make the arrangements, it makes it clear that a report will be sought on the number of schools and children who viewed the programme.

“A feedback would be taken immediately after the programme on the number of children and number of schools who were able to view or listen to the Prime Minister’s address to the school children on 5th September 2014,” it says.

The note also asks schools to make arrangements for a TV, TV reception and alternate arrangements for electricity through generators and inverters in case the amenities are not already available. The states were told to send a “report on arrangements made” and the number of schools and students likely to be covered by September 1.

Modi is scheduled to interact with about 1,000 students on September 5.

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