As you are aware that the idea of a sustained and structured cultural connection between people of different regions was mooted by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India during the Rashtriya Ekta Divas (31st October 2015) on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to celebrate cultural diversity through mutual interaction and reciprocity between people of different States and UTs. Towards achieving this, every State and UT in the country has been paired with another State and UT for a year, during which they would carry out a structured engagement with one another in the spheres of language, literature, cuisine, festivals, cultural events, tourism, etc.
ACTION TO BE TAKEN BY SCHOOLS
1. Organize at least 3-4 different activities in a year as suggested in Annexure B under the ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’ Programme during the year by integrating them into the regular activities of the school.
2. Prepare an annual action plan for the effective implementation of the program. Ensure the inclusion of EBSB activities in the annual academic calendar of the school, by linking each activity to a life skill/ learning skill/ media skill.
3. Organize these activities in coordination with the partner State/UT, keeping in view the academic calendar.
4. Ensure appointment of Nodal Teacher in charge in the school to plan and conduct different EBSB activities.
5. Establish EBSB Club in the school.
6. Merge the activities to be conducted under Jal Shakti Abhiyan: catch the rain campaign with the tagline ‘Catch the Rain, where it falls’ with the EBSB.
7. Give adequate publicity to the activities conducted under EBSB and reach out to the larger community through innovative and effective ways.
8. Upload photographs, tweets, reports, etc. of activities undertaken on social media with the hashtag
9. Give incentives/recognition to the students for their good performances in EBSB activities in the form of certificates, badges, appreciation letters, etc.
10. Keeping in view the safety and security of the students during the Covid-19 pandemic, strictly follow the guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Home Affairs, and School Re-opening Guidelines of the Ministry of Education while conducting the activities under Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.
Activity Number One
Suggested Activity Exposure of students to the alphabets, songs, proverbs, and unique words through 100 sentences in the languages of the paired State/UT
• They may be given the links of online apps for learning the alphabet, if possible.
• The students who learn the alphabets of the language of the paired State/UT may be encouraged to learn to speak at least 100 sentences over time including 10-20 proverbs in that language.
• The translation and audio recordings prepared by NCERT may be used as resource material.
• The 100 sentences will be more easily learned by students if they are exposed to popular songs/ proverbs/ poems/ unique words/ conversational sentences in the language of the paired State/UT.
• Ten good songs/poems from the paired State/UT may be prescribed.
Activity Number Two
Suggested Activity Essay Competition among students related to the paired State/UT
Description of Activity • Theme or topic of the competition can be on any aspect of the paired State/UT which can be linked to the area of study of the students.
For example, Social Science students can be asked to write an essay on the geographical features/Cuisine/ flora- fauna/wildlife/important industry/ major political party of the paired State/UT. Economics students may write on the economic problems prevailing in the paired State/UT.
• Social Science, Language, and Art Teachers may take the lead.
• Students may be awarded certificates or any other incentives by the school.
Suggested Month / Day Any time during the academic year (at least once in a year)
Activity Number Three
Suggested Activity Optional classes in schools for learning the language of the paired State/UT
Description of Activity • Optional language classes, only where feasible, for learning the language of the State/UT may be organized in the schools.
• The teachers who are well versed in the language of the paired State/UT may be roped in for taking optional classes either in face-to-face or online mode.
• A Proficiency Certificate may be given to such students
and Appreciation Certificate to the teachers who taught the language of the paired State/UT.
Activity Number Four
Suggested Activity Drama/folk theatre/role play on culture, history, the tradition of paired State/UT
Description of Activity • This activity can be taken upon any aspect of the culture (festivals, food habits, flora, fauna, wildlife, knowledge of plants used for traditional medicine, dress, games, dance, etc.), history, and traditions of the paired State/UT.
• Research on different aspects of the culture/history/tradition/flora/fauna/wildlife/ knowledge of plants used for traditional medicine to compile the information on the paired State/UT may be done by the students themselves.
• Script for the drama/folk theatre/role play may also be prepared by the students themselves.
• Social Science, Language, and Art Teachers may guide the project.
• This drama/folk theatre/role play may be showcased during the annual day of the school or any other time during the academic year to the entire school students for acquainting all the students on the culture/history/traditions of the paired State/UT.
• The drama/folk theatre/role play can be video graphed and links can be provided on the school website.
• If possible, Nodal Teacher or Principal and students of any school of the Paired State/UT may be invited during the competition, virtually.
• Participation/Merit Certificates or other awards may be given to the participating students.
Suggested Month / Day Anytime during the academic year (at least once in a year)
Skills/Values to be Enhanced • Information Literacy
• Media Literacy
• Linguistic Skills
• Creative Skills
• Communication Skills
• Research Skills
• Spirit of Patriotism and Unity
Activity Number Five
Suggested Activity Identification /translation and dissemination of similar proverbs in the language of paired State/UT
Description of Activity • The proverbs having similar meanings in the language of the paired State/UT may be identified, translated, and disseminated to the students.
• Help may be taken from the expert teachers of the paired State/UT.
• This can be taken up during the optional classes.
• A booklet of similar proverbs in the language of the paired State/UT along with their translation and meanings in the students’ language may be prepared and then distributed to all the students from classes III to XII.
• May be uploaded on the school website.
• The language teachers may encourage the students to learn these proverbs or relate them with the topics in hand to encourage them to learn them.
• It can also be conducted as EBSB club activity.
Activity number Six
Suggested Activity ‘Theme-based Display Board/Wall Magazine’ on the paired State/UT
Description of Activity • The students may be asked to contribute to making wall magazines and theme-based display boards by putting their ideas/thoughts of the various themes on the paired State/UT.
• All research and creative work in this regard must be undertaken by students themselves.
• Students should also decide the theme for the month for the wall magazine.
• Social Science Teachers, Language Teachers, and Art Teachers may work in unison to facilitate students in this work and integrate with the topics /chapters in the curriculum of their subjects.
• Useful website links and other resource material may be provided to the students to collect accurate information.
• Students may take the help of the students of any one school of their paired State/UT.
• These can be class displays as well as display boards in the school corridors/reception area, etc.
• Inter-section or inter-class ‘Theme-based Display
Activity Number Seven
Suggested Activity Pledge on Swachhata/single-use plastic/water saving/ National Unity in the language of paired State/UT
Description of Activity • The students shall take the pledge on Swachhata/single-use plastic/water saving/ National Unity in the language of paired State/UT on the days earmarked for this activity during the morning assembly.
• The pledge may be written by the students themselves in their own State’s/UT’s official language and then shall be translated in their paired State’s/UT’s language with the help of teachers and school(s) of the paired State/UT.
• Different sections/classes of students may devise different and creative pledges for Swachhata/single-use plastic/water saving/ National Unity.
• All the students in the school shall take the pledge finalized by their section/class. If possible, students may be provided with a copy of the pledge or it can be displayed at a prominent place in the classroom for the
Activity Number Eight
Suggested Activity Talks by students and teachers on paired State/UT related to its latest news, history, culture, national icons, social reformers, famous personalities
Description of Activity • A special morning assembly may be conducted by the school at least twice a month with a special feature of:
o Talk time – Students or teachers may talk briefly on the national icons/ social reformers/famous sports personalities / any other famous personality / any other significant theme of the paired State/UT
o News – Students may present a brief report of the current events of the paired States/UTs in a manner of reading news. To add a joyful factor to it, some children may act as panelists and debate upon the
news, while some others may enact an advertisement from the paired State/UT media too.
• Students can use toys of the paired State/UT, such as toys depicting the State icons, State mythology/literature, State festivals, etc., and integrate their talk on the culture of the State/UT with the help of these toys.
• The Social Science teachers may guide the students in this activity.
• Alternatively, this can be conducted as one of the EBSB club activities.
• Concerned teachers may facilitate the students in arranging the information to be presented.
Activity Number Nine
Suggested Activity Question Answer Session on paired State/UT
Description of Activity • Question Answer Session on paired State/UT may be organized in the school to ensure maximum participation of the students in the school.
• Class Quiz may be conducted by the Social Science/Science Teachers integrating it with the content in the curriculum.
• Alternatively, a Quiz competition may be conducted by the EBSB Club in the school on a particular theme of the paired State/UT for different levels of classes like for primary classes, middle level, secondary, and senior secondary level. Interested students may participate in this quiz.
• Reference material may be provided to the students to prepare for the quiz.
• The difficulty level of the questions should be as per the level of the students. For example, for primary classes the following questions may be asked:
o What is the literal meaning of the name of paired States/UTs?
o What are the languages spoken in paired States/UTs?
o What is the capital of the paired States/UTs?
o What is the population of the paired States/UTs?
o What are the major rivers which flow in the paired States/UTs?
o What are the festivals celebrated in paired States/UTs?
o What are the famous cuisines of the paired States/UTs?
o What are the important places in the States/UTs? (National Parks, Heritage or Historical Sites, etc.)
o What is the State/UT animal/bird of the paired States/UTs?
Activity Number Ten
Suggested Activity State/UT day Celebration of paired State/UT
Description of Activity • The State/UT Day of paired State/UT may be celebrated in the school, in which group dance, group singing, speech on paired State/UT, etc. may be performed by the students.
• Subject teachers (Social Science, language, art) may organize activities on this day linking them with the topics in the curriculum.
• Alternatively, this may be conducted as an EBSB Club activity.
Activity Number Eleven
Suggested Activity Cultural Fusion Competition (Folk Songs/ Dance, Arts & Painting, Music, Cuisine any other cultural activity of the two paired States/UTs may be demonstrated through Fusion)
Description of Activity • Cultural Competition may be organized in the school on the following themes of fusion of the two paired States/UTs:
• Cultural Fusion Competition may be organized in the school on the State/UT Foundation Day of the paired State/UT or any other day as convenient to the school.
• This can also be clubbed with the celebration of Independence Day and Republic Day in the school.
Activity Number Twelve
Suggested Activity Literary Fest (Quiz competition, Poetry recitation, Extempore, Speech, Debate, Translation of popular regional script of paired State/UT)
Description of Activity • Literary Fest wherein different competitions may be organized by the school at least once a year:
o Quiz on ‘Who is Who in paired State/UT?
o Reading of folk tales from the State/UT books by popular authors and doing book reviews
o Poetry, Extempore, Speech, Debate on any aspect of the paired State/UT
o Drawing competition on the art/culture/flora/fauna/geography of the paired State/UT (by drawing the map of paired State/UT highlighting geographical boundaries, major
historical places, rivers, mountains, forests, lakes, fauna, and flora, etc.)
• All these activities/competitions can also be bilingual, wherever possible (Bi-lingual – State’s/UT’s own language and paired State’s/UT’s language, and students may decide what language they want to participate in)
Activity Number Thirteen
Suggested Activity Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Utsav
Description of Activity • EBSB Utsav at the school level can be organized on 31st October i.e. National Unity Day.
• Students may themselves prepare a Unity Pledge based on their understanding of the Indian Constitution.
• They may take the unity pledge during the morning assembly in their own language and in the language of the paired State/UT.
• Students of senior classes may showcase their projects on the culture, customs, dress, agriculture, climate, and topography that they may have completed as a part of their curricular activity.
• Video conferencing/virtual meeting with the students of any one school of the paired State/UT may be arranged wherein they may talk about the best practices followed in their respective States/UTs or activities conducted under
Activity Number Fourteen
Suggested Activity Scrapbook on paired State/UT by students
Description of Activity • Students can maintain a State/UT Scrapbook on the paired State/UT about important facts, basic knowledge, self-introduction, historical place, indigenous games, culture, food, languages, clothes, flora-fauna, etc. and other important and interesting information about the States/UTs.
Activity Number Fifteen
Suggested Activity ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ School Report
Description of Activity • Students of senior classes of the school may be tasked to collect, collate and compile the description of all activities undertaken under EBSB in the school, into a Report or ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat School Report’
• The report can be in the form of a document or chart
paper, or any other creative format, and it can be displayed on the school notice board or school website.
• The report can be prepared at the end of the year.
• Students and teachers may be involved in the preparation of the report.
• This would include all the activities/events organized in the school under EBSB.
• Students should give an appropriate title to their EBSB School Report.
• The report of the activities may be prepared in the desired format and sent to CBSE along with the photographs and videos of the activities, at the end of each month.
• The Annual Report/Magazine of the school may also contain a section on EBSB.
Activity Number Sixteen
Suggested Activity Showing popular and age-appropriate film/s from the paired State/UT and in the language of the paired State/UT that reflects the culture of that State/UT
Description of Activity • Appropriate entertaining film/s from the paired State/UT may be selected and can be shown to the students.
• Teachers will go through the film/s beforehand and note down the cultural aspects of the State/UT reflected in the film.
• After the film/s, teachers can hold discussions on what the children learned about the culture of the paired State/UT.
Activity Number Seventeen
Suggested Activity Using toys to teach the diversity of culture in India
Description of Activity • Students may be asked to bring their own toys from home. Toys could be in the form of paper toys made by the children, or even electronic or board games.
• Each student or class will be given a space where the students exhibit their own toys and explain the toys to all visitors.
• Parents and children from nearby schools/Aanganwadis can be invited.
• Students will be encouraged to find out the origin of their own toys, in which State it was manufactured, what is that State known for, what the toys are made of, where is that material found, and whether the material is toxic or non-toxic, how to play with the toys, how the toy can be used to teach anything, if the toy could speak what would it say to the visitors, etc.
Activity Number Eighteen
Suggested Activity Integration of awareness and sensitivity towards the environment, forest and wildlife protection, water conservation, physical fitness and health, gender sensitivity, ethics and values, resource conservation, sanitation and self/public hygiene, etc. into EBSB
Description of Activity • Students of classes V to XII will learn about these issues by finding out about the indigenous and other innovative practices regarding these issues in the paired State/UT.
• Students will prepare portfolios, where each student will contribute to anyone's chosen aspect.
• The students of pre-school to class IV will learn about these aspects in paired State/UT from their teachers who will make efforts to communicate all this to the students through story-telling pedagogy.
Activity Number Nineteen
Suggested Activity Learning the indigenous sport of paired State/UT
Description of Activity • The sports teacher/class teacher may learn about the popular/traditional sports/games of the paired State/UT and teach children to play them. A list of indigenous sports/games of different States and UTs is given in annexure E.
• Senior students (from classes IX to XII) can do research on the sport/game of the paired State/UT and give demos to younger students in the school.
• Inter-class competitions can be held in these sports/games.
Activity Number Twenty
Suggested Activity Learning the folk painting/art/craft of paired State/UT
Description of Activity • Art teacher to teach the folk art/craft of the paired State/UT in Art classes. If the teacher is not aware of the said art, online help may be taken.
• The students may be encouraged to learn about the origin of the art/craft form, the material used, etc.
• Students may also be encouraged to use the art form to exhibit their awareness and sensitivity towards the environment, water conservation, hygiene, and health, etc.
• The School may do an Art exhibition on the Art/craft form of the paired State/UT.
Activity number Twenty-one
Suggested Activity Toy-making: Learning to make hand-made toys of the paired State/UT and preparing a class-wise collaborative report on it.
Description of Activity • Art teacher to teach the toy-making of the paired State/UT in Art class. If the teacher is not aware of the said toy-making process, online help may be taken.
• The students may be encouraged to learn about the origin of the toy, the part of the State where it is made, the material used, etc.
• Students may also be encouraged to hold virtual meetings and discussions with the toymakers/artists from the paired State/UT to understand more about the toys.
• The school may do an exhibition on the Toys made by the students in this activity.
• Each class will work collaboratively to prepare a toy report on the whole activity.
