Union HRD Minister launches Integrated Online junction for School Education ‘Shagun’

SE Shagun, i.e., School Education Shagun is an all encompassing platform relating to the entire gamut of activities of the Department of School Education in the Government of India and all States and Union Territories. The word 'ShaGun' is coined from two different words - 'Shala' meaning Schools and 'Gunvatta' meaning Quality, and the ShaGun portal likewise has two parts:

One part is a repository of best practices, photographs, videos, studies, newspaper articles etc on elementary education in schools of the Central Government, States & UTs & Autonomous bodies. Its purpose is to showcase success stories, thus providing a platform for all stakeholders to learn from each other, and instilling a positive competitive spirit among all the States and UTs.
The second part is the online monitoring module of ShaGun which measures State-level performance and progress against key educational indicators which enables the Government of India and the State and UT Departments of education to conduct real-time assessments which normal paper-based monitoring mechanisms did not allow. Through ShaGun, the data collection and reporting processes have been simplified; resulting in a totally transparent and efficient system.

Objective
Features
To assess the status of all government and government aided schools on various key indicators viz.,availability of school infrastructure and other facilities related to teachers and students
To ensure authenticity of data provided in various portals
To provide feedback on various dimensions at all levels
To facilitate the system to be responsive to school-specific needs, analyze school reports and initiate appropriate policy interventions

SCHEMES AND PROGRAMMES

Samagra Shiksha
Mid-Day Meal
Adult Education
Education Scheme for Madrasas and Minorities
National Means cum Merit Scholarship
National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education
National Awards to Teachers

INSTITUTIONS

Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS)
Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS)
Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)
National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)
National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE)
National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)
National Bal Bhavan (NBB)
Central Tibetan Schools Administration (CTSA)

E-LEARNING PLATFORMS

e-pathshala
National Repository of Open Educational Resources (NROER)
National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT)
Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA)
National Initiative for School Heads and Teachers (NISHTHA)

All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE)
To portray the status of higher education in the country, Ministry of Human Resource Development has endeavoured to conduct an annual web-based All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE). The survey covers all the Institutions in the country engaged in imparting of higher education. Data is being collected on several parameters such as teachers, student enrolment, programmes, examination results, education finance and infrastructure. Indicators of educational development such as Institution Density, Gross Enrolment Ratio, Pupil-teacher ratio, Gender Parity Index, Per Student Expenditure will also be calculated from the data collected through AISHE. These are useful in making informed policy decisions and research for development of education sector.

RELATED LINKS

• School Education Dashboard
• Open data on Education
• District Information System for Education (DISE)
• Digital Gender Atlas for Advancing Girl's Education
• International Bureau of Education (IBE) (UNESCO)
• Digital Repository SeShagun

https://www.india.gov.in/spotlight/se-shagun-school-education-shagun

https://mhrd.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/upload_document/SE_Shagun_EN.pdf

The Scheme of Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya National Mission on Teachers and Teaching

The Scheme of Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya National Mission on Teachers and Teaching is the culmination of the Government of India

Teachers are the backbone and the core of the education system. Hence, ensuring their availability and improving their quality as also the quality of teaching and learning have come to occupy centre stage of our policy discourse. Teacher Education should be seen in a single continuum covering schools to universities and we have to think of ways to strengthen the institutional mechanisms at all levels and sub-sectors so that there are vertical and horizontal linkages.

The high social demand for education has resulted in increased expansion of the education system in the country both in school and higher education. There has been a rapid expansion in the number of Schools, Colleges and Universities, that has resulted in a demand supply mismatch and also quality deficit in terms of professional qualifications, professional development. The deficit model of teacher provisioning is affecting the system both quantitatively and qualitatively.

The number of teachers required at both school and higher education level needs to be doubled in the coming years. For this, we need to adopt a double pronged strategy of increasing enrolments in post graduate programmes and expanding our research base. At present nearly 40 per cent of the teaching positions are vacant in the universities and colleges for which teacher recruitment to be done on a priority basis.

Considering the increasing demand for quality education for such large population as ours, it is important to develop less expensive, at the same time highly interactive pedagogical tools to communicate the fundamental principles of science. However, unlike school teachers, undergraduate teachers of science in India do not receive any formal training in teaching of science. They are experts in their own discipline, but may not be aware of the best practices in pedagogy, lesson planning and assessing learning outcomes. They evolve their own teaching methods, but at times their methods lack a formal structure. Also, in the absence of going through formal education in pedagogy, currently there is no platform to bring teachers together and help them learn from each other. A grass-root level peer-to-peer network will help in motivating teachers to identify scalable pedagogical tools that can be deployed all over the country, taking into account the syllabi, size of classrooms, availability of facilities, etc.
Source: http://nmtt.gov.in/about

Dhyan Chand Birth Anniversary: (National Sports Day 2019: Fit India Movement)

29 अगस्त को राष्ट्रीय खेल दिवस (National Sports Day 2019) के रूप में मनाया जाता है। यह दिन देश के महान हॉकी खिलाड़ी मेजर ध्यानचंद की जयंती का है। ध्यानचंद ने भारत को ओलंपिक खेलों में गोल्ड मेडल दिलवाया था। इसकी वजह से भारत की अंतरराष्ट्रीय स्तर पर पहचान बनी थी।  उनके सम्मान में 29 अगस्त को हर वर्ष भारत में राष्ट्रीय खेल दिवस के रूप में मनाया जाता है।

ध्यानचंद की जयंती के दिन ही खेल जगत में उत्कृष्ट प्रदर्शन करने वाले खिलाड़ियों को भारत के राष्ट्रपति द्वारा खेलों में विशेष योगदान देने के लिए राष्ट्रीय खेल पुरस्कारों से सम्मानित किया जाता है। भारतीय खिलाड़ियों को राजीव गांधी खेल रत्न, ध्यानचंद पुरस्कार और द्रोणाचार्य पुरस्कारों के अलावा अर्जुन पुरस्कार से सम्मानित किया जाता है। आइये इस खास मौके पर ध्यानचंद के जीवन पर नजर डालते हैं...

हॉकी के जादूगर कहे जाने वाले इस महान खिलाड़ी का जन्म 29 अगस्त 1905 को इलाहाबाद में हुआ। ध्यानचंद को फुटबॉल में पेले और क्रिकेट में ब्रैडमैन के बराबर माना जाता है। उनके खेल बड़े-बड़े दिग्गज भी दीवाने थे।

ध्यानचंद शुरुआती शिक्षा के बाद 16 साल की उम्र में साधारण सिपाही के तौर पर भर्ती हो गए। जब वो पहली नौकरी के दौरान सेना में शामिल हुए तब उनके मन में हॉकी के प्रति कोई विशेष दिलचस्पी। ध्यानचंद को हॉकी खेलने के लिए प्रेरित करने का श्रेय रेजीमेंट के एक सूबेदार को है।

भारत के महान खिलाड़ी ध्यानचंद ने तीन ओलंपिक खेलों में भारत का प्रतिनिधित्व किया और तीनों बार देश को स्वर्ण पदक दिलाया। ध्यानचंद से जुड़ा एक दिलचस्प किस्सा ये है कि हॉलैंड में एक मैच के दौरान हॉकी में चुंबक होने की आशंका में उनकी स्टिक तोड़कर देखी गई। वहीं  जापान में एक मैच के दौरान उनकी स्टिक में गोंद लगे होने की बात भी कही गई।

ध्यानचंद ने हॉकी में भारत को जिस मुक़ाम तक पहुंचाया वह मंजिल हासिल करना किसी के लिए आसान नहीं होगा। ध्यानचंद को 1956 में पद्म भूषण से सम्मानित किया गया।

PM मोदी ने की फिट इंडिया अभियान की शुरुआत, बोले- 'बॉडी फिट तो माइंड हिट'

प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी (PM Narendra Modi) ने गुरुवार को ध्यानचंद की जयंती के दिन ही नई दिल्ली स्थित इंदिरा गांधी स्टेडियम में फिट इंडिया अभियान (Fit India Movement) की शुरुआत की।

फिट इंडिया अभियान की शुरुआत करने के बाद प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी ने कहा कि नए भारत का हर नागरिक फिट रहे, इस दिशा में आगे बढ़ना होगा। पीएम मोदी ने कहा कि फिटनेस एक शब्द नहीं है बल्कि स्वस्थ और समृद्ध जीवन की एक जरूरी शर्त है। उन्होंने कहा कि बेडमिंटन हो, टेनिस हो, एथलेटिक्स हो, बॉक्सिंग हो, कुश्ती हो या फिर दूसरे खेल, हमारे खिलाड़ी हमारी उम्मीदों और आकांक्षाओं को नए पंख लगा रहे हैं।

पीएम मोदी ने फिट इंडिया अभियान की शुरुआत की। उन्होंने कहा कि मुझे विश्वास है कि आपके भीतर का विद्यार्थी जिंदा है। पीएम मोदी ने कहा कि आज के दिन फिट इंडिया मूवमेंट जैसा इनिशिएटिव लॉन्च करने के लिए हेल्दी इंडिया की दिशा में एक महत्वपूर्ण कदम उठाने के लिए मैं खेल मंत्रालय और युवा विभाग को बहुत बहुत बधाई देता हूं।

Lessons in reading Or how to be a professional reader

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/books/lessons-in-reading/article29230298.ece

Are you a book lover? Try these five apps for a different experience

In the era of digital India, people are moving towards Digital Books.

"There is no friend as loyal as a book," said Ernest Hemingway. Books are our best friend because they inspire us to do well in our life. We always learn good things from books and implement in our life as well. Books can be good or bad, one needs to be wise while taking the decision which can bring 

In the era of digital India, people are moving towards Digital Books. While having a Kindly is tremendous, you can pick up where you left off by using the Kindle app on your phone. On top of that, there are lots of apps that are designed to enrich the experience of a book lover. Following are the apps.

Wattpad

This digital platform allows writers to directly connect with readers. You can interact and discuss with other readers as well. Each genre has its own community. The app also encourages you to participate in writing contests, increase your fan base, or be a part of the app's selected stories.

Vowelor

Vowelor is India’s first community-based platform for 90k+ readers and authors. The app is bringing bibliophiles together in a virtual book community. It also connects the readers to allow users to discuss the books on a real-time basis thus, helping them to pick the read in an informed manner. 

Goodreads

Goodreads allows you to discover new books, join communities, follow writers and read reviews. Once you begin to track books, you will see a lot of recommendations that you will probably find to your liking.

Overdrive

OverDrive has managed to transfer offline libraries to the online world. All you need is your library card and you can access ebooks, audiobooks and even TV shows and movies if your library offers them.

Inkitt

Though it only covers a handful of fiction genres like romance, sci-fi, and fantasy, the app is designed for reading fiction.

Source | https://www.asianage.com

MHRD Ministry launches National Digital Library of India

National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology, NMEICT.

Human Resource Development Ministry under its National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology, NMEICT has launched the National Digital Library of India project to develop a framework of virtual repository of learning resources with a single-window search facility.

As of now, there are more than 3 crore digital resources available through the National Digital Library. The contents cover almost all major domains of education and all major levels of learners. More than 50 lakh students have registered themselves in the National Digital Library with about 20 lakh active users.

National Digital Library has been integrated with UMANG App and users can register through www.ndl.gov.in or through the mobile app.

Source :- :  https://mhrd.gov.in/technology-enabled-learning-0

CBSE's One Child One Plant Campaign To Sensitize Students About Environment

Save the Environment Campaign By CBSE
CBSE asked the schools to arrange activities related to water conservation and also ask the students to plant and nourish one sapling. MHRD also made it mandatory for the primary and secondary Govt. schools to have Youth and Eco clubs.

Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has made it compulsory for all the secondary and primary government schools to have Eco and Youth clubs. This rule was made to sensibilise the students about the environment. The government is going to financially support the clubs and their activities.

The theme for the Eco-club activities 2019-20 will be 'Conservation of Water'. Schools are directed to Integrate Water Conservation and Environment Sustainability in their curriculum for all the levels.

The Central Board of Secondary Education, CBSE asked the schools to encourage class 5-12 students to take up activities related to water conservation and save one litre of water in school and at home every day.

CBSE board stated that all activities for class 9-12 under SEWA must have Water Conservation as the theme for the academic session 2019-20. All the schools need to to set the aim to become 'Water Efficient Schools' in the coming three years.

The Central Board of Secondary Education has launched another campaign apart from the water conservation that is One Child, One Plant campaign. The one child, one plant campaign is a massive tree plantation campaign. In this campaign, every student needs to plant one sapling in either school or at their home. CBSE stated that the schools then need to create awareness among the students about nourishing their saplings and taking care of it. The activities under this campaign can be graded for internal assessment for Work Experience by the schools.


This is a very crucial step taken by the Ministry of Human Resouce Development as students should be aware of the problems of the environment and should also learn not to exploit the natural resources. Back to back natural calamities especially cities running out of the water, it is important for all of us to save water every day little by little and stop the wasting water. Even plantation of trees is also important to maintain the balance in nature.

New web address of KVS region wise

Region	Web Address
KVS(HQ) Delhi	http://kvsangathan.nic.in

Ahmedabad	https://roahmedabad.kvs.gov.in
Bangalore	https://robangalore.kvs.gov.in
Bhopal	https://robhopal.kvs.gov.in/
Bhubaneswar	(https://robhubaneswar.kvs.gov.in
Chandigarh	https://rochandigarh.kvs.gov.in/
Chennai	https://rochennai.kvs.gov.in/
Dehradun	( https://rodehradun.kvs.gov.in/
Delhi	https://rodelhi.kvs.gov.in/
Ernakulam	https://roernakulam.kvs.gov.in/
Gurgaon	https://rogurgaon.kvs.gov.in/
Guwahati	https://roguwahati.kvs.gov.in/
Hyderabad	https://rohyderabad.kvs.gov.in
Jabalpur	( https://rojabalpur.kvs.gov.in/
Jaipur	https://rojaipur.kvs.gov.in/
Jammu	https://rojammu.kvs.gov.in
Kolkata	https://rokolkata.kvs.gov.in/
Lucknow	https://rolucknow.kvs.gov.in/
Mumbai	https://romumbai.kvs.gov.in/
Patna	https://ropatna.kvs.gov.in/
Raipur	https://roraipur.kvs.gov.in/
Ranchi	https://roranchi.kvs.gov.in/
Silchar	https://rosilchar.kvs.gov.in/
Tinsukia	https://rotinsukia.kvs.gov.in/
Varanasi	https://rovaranasi.kvs.gov.in/

The Challenges of Encouraging a Reading Culture in Developing Countries

When you live in parts of the world other than industrialized countries, chances are you can’t fulfill all of your bookish quirks and literary dreams. Imagine that after marathoning Stranger Things, you want some cute bookmarks or some trendy accessories. You go to Amazon or Etsy, but then realize that you are volunteering in a remote village in Mongolia and you won’t have them anytime soon. Sounds inconvenient, doesn’t it? That’s how things work in developing countries.

If you have been living in one or if you are traveling to one, you won’t have much access to the bookish stuff offered to much of the rest of the world. Below are some bookish things I wish developing nations had access to, to develop and improve their reading culture.
Online Bookstore as Comprehensive as Amazon
Not every country with emerging markets has its own Amazon store, except India, Brazil, China, and Mexico. Love it or hate it, Amazon makes book buying easier by delivering books right to your doorstep. This kind of service still needs improvement in some developing countries while they adapt to the demands of shoppers and solve challenges in logistics. For instance, in the Philippines, the norm is still going to bookstores instead of buying in an online bookshop, due to limitations.

What I like most about Amazon is that it has exhaustive bibliographic data. It’s my go-to source whenever I want to find out the publication details of a book. You can’t find these things on other platforms like China’s Alibaba and Singapore’s Shopee and Lazada.

What’s more, you can also find plenty of book accessories there that are not simply available elsewhere.
OverDrive-Powered Digital Libraries
While some publishers from developing countries have partnerships with book lending platforms, the content the libraries offer is so meager. Though in my case, OverDrive doesn’t have partner libraries in the Philippines. Seriously, none at all. That’s because they prefer print books over other digital formats. I think this must also be the case with other countries where ebooks and audiobooks are still a novelty.

As a night-owl bookworm, I sometimes browse randomly at night for free ebooks to marathon even though my TBR is full. My genre preference changes all the time. What if I feel like reading something feel-good tonight? Well, it’s the 21st century, and you would think that things are one snatch away. The first place I would go to is the Amazon U.S. store, but titles there can be very expensive and I don’t feel like spending. Second is…well, the library. But it doesn’t have an ebook collection!

Nada. Do you get what I mean? This is what it feels like to live in low- and middle-income countries. Ebooks and audiobooks are not even commonplace in the library. I even did a sweep of the Pan-Asia region and found out that only two developing nations have OverDrive-powered digital libraries. I’m a little bit jealous.

Meager collection or not, these digital libraries will be of big help to those who can’t afford to buy books. A 2014 UNESCO study in some developing countries found that “people read more when they read on mobile devices, that they enjoy reading more, and that people commonly read books and stories to children from mobile devices,” The Guardian reports.
Fast and Reliable Postal Service
In most countries, orders from international online bookstores usually take a while to arrive.

For instance, the book you order from UK-based Book Depository, which attracts bookworms with its “free” shipping service, takes over a month—and sometimes more—to get into your hands! Imagine the frustration of having to wait for a year to read the last book of your favorite series; and then another month on top of that. You still don’t know who killed who and if that billionaire was tamed.
Conclusion
It’s not my intention to pit these two groups against each other nor to illustrate the wide berth between them. After all, the terms “developing” and “developed” may imply different meanings. Their usage is still a developing debate, as NPR notes. But for the sake of simplicity, we’ll go by Study.com’s definition of developing countries as those that are “less industrialized and have lower per capita income levels.”

We already know the benefits of reading books for everyone especially children, and so I just wish everyone had a fair access to them, as much as possible.

The bottom line is, everyone will be encouraged to read if there’s a faster way to access books—whether full-fledged online bookstores or heavily stocked digital libraries. What are the other ways that you think can help develop a strong reading culture in developing countries?

Source | https://bookriot.com

CBSE Exam 2019: Based on this work, CBSE will grade students from 5th to 12th

CBSE: Now planting and caring for a plant in the school premises or at home will get grades in the examination. According to CBSE, now Echo Club has been made mandatory in every school. In order to make school students aware of the environment, One Child One Plant Campaign has been started by CBSE. Notifications have been sent to all schools in this regard.

This campaign includes students from 5th to 12th. The board has formulated a policy regarding eco clubs and water conservation of schools. Children will be informed about this from school. Every student of all classes has to plant a plant. All schools have to start it in the first week of September.


The school that organized the games will get a reward of two lakhs: CBSE has announced a grant to schools to promote sports. For this, schools will have to register by August 26. The board will give a grant of two lakhs each for organizing the games at cluster and zone level and three lakhs for the national level. It will include students aged 11, 14, 17 and 19. CBSE's City Coordinator Rajeev Ranjan said that children's role will be important in saving the environment.

Source: https://www.livehindustan.com/career/story-cbse-will-grant-grade-5th-to-12th-class-student-on-the-basis-of-plants-sapling-2708183.html

SWAYAM

About SWAYAM

SWAYAM is a programme initiated by Government of India and designed to achieve the three cardinal principles of Education Policy viz., access, equity and quality. The objective of this effort is to take the best teaching learning resources to all, including the most disadvantaged. SWAYAM seeks to bridge the digital divide for students who have hitherto remained untouched by the digital revolution and have not been able to join the mainstream of the knowledge economy.

This is done through a platform that facilitates hosting of all the courses, taught in classrooms from Class 9 till post-graduation to be accessed by anyone, anywhere at any time. All the courses are interactive, prepared by the best teachers in the country and are available, free of cost to any learner. More than 1,000 specially chosen faculty and teachers from across the country have participated in preparing these courses.

The courses hosted on SWAYAM are in 4 quadrants – (1) video lecture, (2) specially prepared reading material that can be downloaded/printed (3) self-assessment tests through tests and quizzes and (4) an online discussion forum for clearing the doubts. Steps have been taken to enrich the learning experience by using audio-video and multi-media and state of the art pedagogy / technology.

In order to ensure that best quality content is produced and delivered, nine National Coordinators have been appointed. They are:

1.          AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) for self-paced and international courses

2.          NPTEL (National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning) for Engineering

3.          UGC (University Grants Commission) for non technical post-graduation education

4.          CEC (Consortium for Educational Communication) for under-graduate education

5.          NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) for school education

6.          NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling) for school education

7.          IGNOU (Indira Gandhi National Open University) for out-of-school students

8.          IIMB (Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore) for management studies

9.          NITTTR (National Institute of Technical Teachers Training and Research) for Teacher Training programme

Courses delivered through SWAYAM are available free of cost to the learners, however learners wanting a SWAYAM certificate should register for the final proctored exams that come at a fee and attend in-person at designated centres on specified dates. Eligibility for the certificate will be announced on the course page and learners will get certificates only if this criteria is matched. Universities/colleges approving credit transfer for these courses can use the marks/certificate obtained in these courses for the same.

https://swayam.gov.in/about

30 Reasons to Read Books

Even if you have read one good book in your life, you will know what reading gives. It gives you incomparable pleasure. While there is no doubt about the fact that reading is a priceless activity, it has been observed that the habit of reading has declined of late. One of the main causes for this decline is the growth of technology. However, what most people don’t know is there is so much to benefit from reading. Here are 30 reasons of reading books:

1

Gives knowledge

Gives knowledge

One of the biggest reasons why we read books is to gain knowledge. Books are a rich source of information. Reading books on varied subjects imparts information and increases the depth about the subject as well. Whenever you read a book, you learn a new information that otherwise would not have known.

2

Improves your brain

Improves your brain

Studies have shown that reading has strong positive effects on the brain. By staying mentally stimulated, you can prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. This is because, keeping your brain active prevents it from losing power. The brain is a muscle and like other muscles in the body, exercise keeps it strong and healthy. Similar to solving puzzles, reading books is a great way to exercise your brain and keep it healthy.

3

Reduces stress

Reduces stress

Reading has a positive effect on the body as well. Reading a book can relieve stress better than taking a walk or listening to music. According to studies who read more tend to have lower stress levels.

4

Improves memory

Improves memory

Every time you read a book, you have to remember the setting of the book, the characters, their backgrounds, their history, their personalities, the sub-plots and so much more. As your brain learns to remember all this, your memory becomes better. What’s more, with every new memory you create, you create new pathways and this strengthens the existing ones.

5

Improves imagination

Improves imagination

The more you read, the more imaginative you become. Whenever you read a fiction book, it takes you another world. In the new world, your imagination works at its best as you try to see things in your own mind.

6

Develops critical thinking skills

Develops critical thinking skills

One of the primary benefits of reading books is its ability to develop critical thinking skills. For example, reading a mystery novel sharpens your mind. Critical thinking skills are crucial when it comes to making important day to day decisions. Reading requires an individual to think and process information in a way that watching television can’t. The more you read, the deeper your understanding becomes about what you’re reading and its application.

7

Builds vocabulary

Builds vocabulary

Reading improves your vocabulary and command on the language. As you read, you come across new words, idioms, new words, phrases and writing styles.

8

Improves writing skills

Improves writing skills

Reading a well-written book affects your ability to become a better writer. Just like artists influence others, so do writers. Many successful authors gained their expertise by reading the works of others. So, if you want to become a better writer, start by learning from previous masters.

9

Improves communication skills

Improves communication skills

Improving your vocabulary and writing skills goes hand in hand with developing your communication skills. The more you read and write, the better you communicate. Increasing your ability to communicate, improves your relationships and even makes you a better employee or student.

10

Improves focus and concentration

Improves focus and concentration

In our busy lifestyles, our attention is drawn in different directions each day as we try to multi-task through each day. For example, you may find yourself dividing your time between working on a task, chatting with people via Skype, checking email, keeping an eye on Facebook and interacting with your colleagues. All this multi-tasking can lead to high stress level and low productivity. When you read a book, all your attention is focused on what you’re reading. Your eyes and thoughts are immersed in the details of the story. This improves your concentration and focus. Read a book at least 20 minutes a day, and you will be amazed at how much more focused you will be.

11

A fruitful hobby

A fruitful hobby

Reading books keep us occupied. It also leads to a fruitful use of time. It not only helps us get rid of worries, but also diverts our mind from monotony. Books are excellent sources of recreation. Someone who loves to read can never get bored, as this is a perfect way to rid of boredom. As books take you to another different world, you relax and rejuvenate.

12

Cheap entertainment

Cheap entertainment

Compared to other forms of entertainment, books are quite cheap. You will never get a movie ticket for $8-$10. But, with this money, you can buy yourself a book and be entertained for many hours.

13

Motivation

Motivation

Life is full of challenges. As we move through different phases in different, a little motivation can be of great help. Reading inspirational books about life experiences can change our lives. Reading a good book, such an autobiography keeps you encouraged and you also learn tips to help you achieve your personal goals. Basically, you get inspired to become a better husband, wife, daughter, son, mother, father or even employee.

14

Improves health

Improves health

There are thousands, if not millions, of great self-help books. Many of these books can actually help improve your health. Reading such books reduces levels of depression. People with severe depression can benefit from reading self-help books. Apart from this, such books offer important tips on exercising, dieting and other healthy lifestyle tips. All this leads to improved mental and physical health.

15

Makes you more empathetic

Makes you more empathetic

According to studies, losing yourself in books, especially fiction, might increase your empathy. In a study conducted in the Netherlands, researchers showed that people who were “emotionally transported” by a work of fiction experienced a boost in empathy. By reading a book, you become part of the story and feel the pain and other emotions of the characters. This in turn allows your mind to become more aware of how different things affect other people. Eventually, this improves your ability to emphasize with other people. So, go ahead and read that story, a world with more empathetic people would definitely be a better place!

16

Improves Skills

Improves Skills

Reading is a fundamental skill builder. For every good course on earth, there is a matching book to go with it. Books provide important information on various subjects and topics. The best thing about reading is that you can go deeper that what learn in a classroom discussion. Whether it’s cooking, dancing, or even cleaning, you can always improve your skills by reading books.

17

Build self-esteem

Build self-esteem

By reading many books, you communicate better and become more informed on various areas of life. All this translates into a higher self-esteem. Since you have confidence in yourself and your ability to deliver, you become more productive and overall a much better person.

18

Portable entertainment

Portable entertainment

Books are portable and light in weight. They are not like bulky computers and games that take too much space. With a book, you can pack it in your handbag and easily carry it everywhere. You can read anywhere, in a plane as you travel, in your bed before you sleep, under a shade as you relax, or even during your holiday.

19

Helps you sleep better

Helps you sleep better

Poor sleep leads to low productivity. This is why so many experts recommend that you establish regular de-stressing routine before you sleep to help calm your mind and therefore sleep better. Reading a book is one of the best ways to calm yourself before you go to bed. Instead of watching television or spending too much time on your smartphone while in bed, take some time to read. The bright lights from the electronic devices will only affect your sleep. On the other hand, a book will help you sleep better.

20

Learn about another world

Learn about another world

The world of fiction allows you to travel to another world, where everything is different. By reading books, you get a glimpse of other cultures and places. Books expand your horizons, letting you see other countries, other people and so many other things you have never seen or imagined. It’s the perfect way to visit a strange country in your mind.

21

Socialization

Socialization

We can always share whatever we have read with our family, friends and colleagues. All this increases our ability to socialize. Humans are social beings and in the world of smartphones, we are losing our ability to socialize. However, reading had led to the formation of book clubs and other forums where we get a chance to share and interact with others.

22

Improves creativity

Improves creativity

The biggest difference between reading and watching television is that reading gives you the scope to unleash your creativity. The more you read, the more you learn new things. New thoughts always stretch our minds to rediscover life in new and better ways. We start to see the world in a different way and this way we find new creative solutions.

23

Learn at your own pace

Learn at your own pace

Another benefit of reading a book is that you learn at your own pace. Since you have the book all the time, you can always go back to a section you feel you don’t understand. You can re-read a chapter as many times as you wish, without worry that you will miss out a section. If it’s a self-help book, you can tackle one issue at a time. Once you handle one problem, then you can move to the next issue whenever you feel you’re ready. Everything is done at your own pace and most importantly, your mind is free to interpret things the way you feel.

24

Lots of choices to choose from

Lots of choices to choose from

There are so many great books to read that you will never finish them all in a lifetime. Books have been written for centuries, right now, someone is writing a book, and in the future, books will still be written. Whether you’re looking for something to inspire you, something to make you laugh, romance or even gaining a new skill, there are countless books for that. All you need is to take some time and pick which one to read. There will never be a shortage of great books.

25

Improves morals

Improves morals

Books help us better discern good ideas from bad ideas. Reading a book allows us to learn about different approaches to life and the problems we face. By doing this, you get an opportunity to discern what has worked in the past and what has not worked. Basically, you learn to make better decisions in life.

26

Learn about your history

Learn about your history

History plays an important role is who we are today. By reading books, we get a better understanding of the past and how it continues to affect us. With books, you get a chance to learn about your country, family and the world in general. It’s a great way to revisit your past and appreciate the present.

27

Save money

Save money

Apart from being inexpensive, you will also save a lot of money by reading books. Books don’t require electricity, neither do they need any form of maintenance. When you read a book on a certain skill, such as cooking, woodwork, or simple DIY tasks, you save yourself the money you would have used to hire a contractor. You not only learn new skills, but also save yourself a lot of expenses.

28

No side effects of the digital world

No side effects of the digital world

Spending too much time watching television or playing video games can affect your eye health in the long run. On the other hand, books are safe and easy. No one has ever gone blind from reading too many books. There are no known side effects or dangers of reading great books. All there is are benefits.

29

Makes you smarter

Makes you smarter

With so much to learn from books, people who read regularly tend to be smarter than those who don’t. They tend to have an open mind and are more aware of their surroundings.

30

Books are better than movies

Books are better than movies

So many movies have been adapted from books. But, if you read a book and then watch its movie, you will agree that the book is 100 times better than the movie. There is always that unique part, like what a character is thinking, that a movie can never capture.

https://seriousreading.com/blog/283-30-reasons-to-read-books.html