Shimla: In a major initiative to strengthen foundational learning among students, the Himachal Pradesh government has decided to introduce a daily 45-minute ‘Zero Period’ in government schools for students of Classes 6 to 10 under the Learning Enhancement Program (LEP) 2.0. The State Project Director of the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan has issued detailed instructions to all Deputy Directors and District Project Officers regarding the implementation of the programme.
The initiative aims to bridge learning gaps among students whose foundational understanding is below the expected grade level. The programme will run for approximately 12 weeks, during which teachers will revisit basic concepts in Mathematics, English, and Hindi from previous classes to strengthen students’ academic fundamentals.
According to the official guidelines, the Zero Period will be conducted daily from 10:00 am to 10:45 am in winter-closing schools and from 9:00 am to 9:45 am in summer-closing and extreme summer-closing schools.
The programme will begin in July in winter-closing schools located in Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur, Shimla, Chamba, Mandi, Solan, and Sirmaur, as well as in the extreme summer-closing schools of Una, Solan, and Sirmaur. In all other summer-closing schools across the state, the Zero Period will commence from August 17.
Under the weekly timetable, three Zero Periods have been earmarked for Mathematics, two for English, and one for Hindi. No separate period has been allocated for Science, as scientific concepts will continue to be covered during regular classroom teaching.
To ensure effective monitoring of the programme, Samagra Shiksha has made the use of the ‘Aapki Pustika’ (Your Workbook) Bot mandatory for student registration. From August 12, registration of identified students will be carried out by scanning the QR code printed on the back cover of each student’s workbook.
The guidelines also make it clear that the Zero Period must be conducted every day at the prescribed time without interruption. No examinations, co-curricular activities, or any other classes will be scheduled during this period. Attendance of both students and teachers will be compulsory and recorded regularly.
School principals and headmasters have been entrusted with the responsibility of implementing and supervising the programme. They will monitor student participation and track learning progress throughout the 12-week intervention to improve foundational competencies and enhance overall academic performance in government schools across Himachal Pradesh.
