Lok Sabha Question No. 2463 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-18
Subject: Sports Compulsory in Schools
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Prince Raj

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2463 ANSWERED ON 18 th  December, 2023

## Sports Compulsory in Schools

## 2463. SHRI PRINCE RAJ:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) the steps taken by the Government to ensure physical fitness of school children;

(b) whether Physical Education Teacher is mandatory in all the Middle and High Schools of the Central Government/State Government;

(c) if so, the steps taken/to be taken by the Government in this regard and also the Status of Physical Education Teacher in Bihar; and

(d)  whether  sports  are  included  as  compulsory  syllabus  in  school  education  of  Central Government/ State Government and the status thereof with regard to Bihar?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SMT. ANNPURNA DEVI)

(a): Government of India has launched Samagra Shiksha - Integrated Scheme for school education, an overarching programme for the school education sector extending from pre-school to class XII and aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality  education at all levels of school education. Realizing the need for holistic development of children, a dedicated component named 'Sports & Physical education' under Samagra Shiksha is being implemented. Under this component annual financial grants to the tune of Rs. 5000 for primary, Rs. 10,000 for secondary & Rs. 25,000 for senior secondary government schools has been allocated to buy sports equipments. In addition, as per new norms of the scheme, an additional grant up to Rs. 25000 per school is provided to schools in  case  at  least  2  students  of  that  school  win  medal  in  Khelo  India  National  school  games competition.

National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 also lays special emphasis on sports, not just as an extra-curricular activity, but as an integral part of holistic development for every individual. The policy envisages sports as a part of the curriculum and emphasizes on sports-integrated learning as well as adopting fitness as a lifelong attitude.

This Department issued Guidelines for Sports Grant under Samagra Shiksha (https://samagra.education.gov.in/docs/Sports%20Guidelines.pdf) in December, 2018 and further, this Department revised the same and issued the Guidelines incorporating the recommendation of NEP, 2020 (https://samagra.education.gov.in/docs/revised\_samagra\_sports.pdf) in August, 2023.

With  a  view  to  achieving  the  twin  objectives  of  mass  participation  and  promotion  of excellence  in  sports,  the  Government  of  India  launched  Khelo  India  Programme  for  the development of sports in the country in the year 2018 to improve the sports culture. In addition, with a view to make fitness an integral part of daily lives, FIT INDIA Movement was launched by Hon'ble Prime Minister on the occasion of National Sports Day in 2019. To incorporate these schemes in the school curriculum, this Department has circulated the advisories/suggestions/recommendations to the States/UTs/Autonomous Bodies at regular intervals.

(b)  &  (c):  Education  is  a  subject  in  the  Concurrent  list  of  the  Constitution,  therefore,  the recruitment, service conditions and deployment of teachers is under the domain of the concerned State/Union Territory (UT) Government.

In Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNV), two posts of Physical Education Teachers (one Male and one Female) are sanctioned to impart Physical Education to all students from classes VI to XII. A total of 76 posts of Physical Education Teacher (male & female) have been sanctioned in JNVs of Bihar State.

Further, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) has provision of regular post of Trained Graduate Teacher Physical and Health Education (TGT P&HE) for teaching Games and Sports in all KVs across the Country. As on 01.12.2023, the number of sanctioned posts of TGT P&HE is 53 in KVs of Bihar.

As per information provided by State Government, Bihar Education Project Council has sanctioned post of Physical Education Teachers in all secondary and senior secondary schools in Bihar. All upper primary schools have the post of either physical education teachers or instructor for physical education.

(d):  Central  Board  of  Secondary  Examination  (CBSE)  has  introduced  a  streamlined  and  welldesigned  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 I-XII. The Board has directed schools to keep one period of HPE for classes I-XII each day. All students from these classes are compulsorily required to participate in at least two sports activities as per their interest and capability and this has been included in the eligibility  criteria  to  appear  in  Board  Examinations  of  classes  X  and  XII.  Also,  JNV  has implemented the Health & Physical Education curriculum of CBSE in all JNVs including JNVs of Bihar State. Further, Sports & Games is taught from Class I to XII in all KVs across the country. Bihar Education Project Council has separately dedicated one period for sports for all classes in daily school routine.