Lok Sabha Question No. 1307 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-10
Subject: Yoga in Educational Institutes/Schools
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Kanakmal Katara, Keshari Devi Patel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1307 TO BE ANSWERED ON 10 th  February, 2020

Yoga in Educational Institutes/Schools

## †1307. SHRI KANAKMAL KATARA: SHRIMATI KESHARI DEVI PATEL:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  include  Yoga  in  the  curriculum  of  all  educational institutes/ schools for incorporating Yoga in day to-day life;
- (b) if so, the   time by which it is likely to be done;
- (c) the schemes implemented for attracting the people towards Yoga and the number of teachers appointed for the purpose; and
- (d) the other steps taken/being taken by the Government for the promotion of yoga along with the funds allocated for the purpose?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

## (SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK')

(a) & (b):  National Curriculum Framework (NCF), 2005 recommended Yoga as an integral part of Health and Physical Education.  Health and Physical Education is a compulsory subject from Class I  to  Class  X  and  optional  from  Class  XI  to  XII.     The  National  Council  of  Educational Research  and  Training  (NCERT)  has  already  developed  integrated  syllabi  on  Health  and Physical  Education from  Class  I  to Class X. In addition,  Central  Board  of  Secondary Examination  (CBSE)  has  introduced  a  streamlined  and  well  designed  Health  and  Physical Education (HPE) Program to mainstream health and physical education in schools for students of class I - XII.  CBSE has made Health and Physical Education compulsory in all classes from IXII.  The Board has directed schools to keep one period of HPE for classes I-XII each day.  The University  Grants  Commission  (UGC)  has  prepared  guidelines  for  institutional  fitness  plan.

These  guidelines  encourage  higher  educational  institutions  to  adopt  policies  and  practices towards fitness and well being of students and staff.  The indicative guidelines inter-alia suggests denoting minimum one hour per day on fitness activities.

(c)  & (d): The Government has included Yoga training in the 'Study in India' programme to encourage  Yoga  seekers  from  abroad  to  obtain  authentic  Yoga  training  in  India.  UGC  has approved  the  establishment  of  an  Inter  University  Centre-Yogic  Science  at  Bengaluru  and introduced Yoga as a new National Eligibility Test (NET) subject from January 2017 UGC-NET onwards.  Yoga Departments have been established in nine Central Universities.

Department of School Education and Literacy has launched an Integrated Scheme for  School  Education-Samagra  Shiksha,  with  effect  from  1st  April,  2018.  Under  the  Samagra Shiksha,  Sports  and  Physical  Education  component  has  been  introduced  for  the  first  time  for encouragement of Sports, Physical activities, Yoga, Co-curricular activities etc. in all States and UTs. Yoga is also a part of the Fit-India Movement. The Department of School Education and Literacy  in  co-ordination  with  Department  of  Sports  is  organising  activities  on  'Fit  India Movement- Fit India School' in schools to inculcate physical activity/sports/yoga into the daily life  of  Students.  The  Department  circulated  advisory  to  school  authorities  to  make  necessary arrangements  for the  student  to  view/hear  the  Fitness  Pledge  programme  and  take  the  Fitness Pledge on 29 th August, 2019. Nearly, thirteen lakh schools and eleven Crore students all over the country  attended/viewed  the  programme  and  took  the  fitness  pledge.  The  recruitment,  service conditions and deployment of teachers including yoga teachers are under the jurisdiction of the State/Union Territory Governments and it is for the respective State/Union Territory Government to take a decision in such matters for their schools. However, as per UDISE 201819  (provisional),  the  total  number  of  Physical  Education  Teacher  (PET)  appointed  are  89661. Further,  the  Department  has  requested  State/Union  Territory  Government  to  take  necessary action to fill up the post of the Physical Education Teachers (PETs) in schools as per the norms. Meanwhile,  where  PETs  are  not  available  existing  teachers  may  be  trained  on  priority  on  the basis  of  physical  education  and  fitness  to  ensure  availability  of  at  least  one  trained  teacher  in each middle and high school.

Ministry of AYUSH also strives to promote yoga and to create awareness for the benefit of the people through its three autonomous bodies namely Central Council for Research in Yoga and  Naturopathy  (CCRYN),  Morarji  Desai  National  Institute of  Yoga  (MDNIY)  and  National Institute of Naturopathy (NIN). For this purpose, an Information Education and Communication (IEC) Scheme, has been devised by the Ministry, activities under which include steps to reach out  to  people  and  to  create  awareness  about  Yoga  and  Naturopathy.  IEC  activities  include programs on TV, Radio, Print-media etc. As a part of observation of International Day of Yoga (IDY) on 21st June, the Ministry of AYUSH has reached out to about 2.5 lakh Gram Pradhan with suggested plan of action for Yoga promotion in villages. Common Service Centres (CSCs) of the Ministry of Electronics & IT have also been roped in for promotion of Yoga in rural areas. Details of the funds allocated for observation of International Day of Yoga for the year 2019-20 is as under:

(Rs. in Thousands)

|   S. No. | Head                        |     BE |     RE |
|----------|-----------------------------|--------|--------|
|        1 | Publications                |   5000 |      0 |
|        2 | Advertisement and Publicity | 173000 | 146900 |
|        3 | Professional Services       |   2000 |      0 |
|        4 | Grants-in-Aid General       |  80000 |  37100 |

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