Delhi govt to install the tricolour in schools to mark 75 years of Independence

New Delhi Moving ahead with its plan to install the tricolour across the national capital to mark 75 years of Independence, the Delhi government has decided to put up the national flag in all its schools

Moving ahead with its plan to install the tricolour across the national capital to mark 75 years of Independence, the Delhi government has decided to put up the national flag in all its schools.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. (ANI Photo)

Last month, the Delhi government presented its seventh annual budget and termed it a “deshbhakti budget”, in view of the nation celebrating 75th Independence Day this year. It announced a range of programmes and measures to evoke patriotism in citizens and finance minister Manish Sisodia also proposed ₹45 crore for installing the national flag at 500 different locations across Delhi.

In a circular issued to the district education officers on Thursday, the Directorate of Education (DoE) said, “India will be celebrating her 75th Independence Day in 2021. In the budget speech, the finance minister set up a special component for deshbhakti and in order to make the occasion memorable, it has been decided to install the national flag at all schools run by the Delhi government. Accordingly, heads of all the government schools of Delhi are hereby directed to identify a suitable and conspicuous space to set up the flag mast.”

Schools have been asked to identify 3-5 square metres of space near the “assembly grounds or at a suitable place on the top floor of the building where it is easily visible to all”. “In no case, the platform, thus identified, should obstruct a playground or any normal activity of the school,” the circular stated.

“The normal size of the national flag which is hoisted on government/public utility service buildings is either 2X3 feet or 3X4 feet and the height of the mast which holds the tricolour is generally 10 feet or more,” it further said.

Schools have been asked to identify the space by April 9. “The land and estate branch will coordinate with the PWD for construction of the national flag at all government school buildings in a timebound manner,” the circular added.

Heads of several government schools welcomed the move. Devendra, principal of Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya in Rouse Avenue, said, “It’s good that the national flag will be installed at all government schools before the introduction of the Deshbhakti curriculum. We normally unfurl the flag at school only on the Independence Day and the Republic Day. But now it will be there throughout the year, encouraging students to contribute to the country. We have space on the rooftop and we will install our flag there.”

Ajay Veer Singh, general secretary of the government schools’ teachers association, said, “It won’t be difficult for schools to spare 3 to 5 square metres space for the installation of the flag. All schools can, in fact, put up the flag on the rooftop to save on ground space.”