Lok Sabha Question No. 1299 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-11
Subject: Promotion of Sports at School Level
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Jayant Sinha

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1299 ANSWERED ON 11 th  December, 2023

## Promotion of Sports at School Level

## 1299. SHRI JAYANT SINHA:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) the ongoing and planned initiatives taken by the Government in order to promote sports at school level;

(b) the number of villages that have playgrounds in Hazaribagh and Ramgarh districts in Jharkhand; and

(c) the steps taken by the Government to construct playgrounds in the villages in these districts?

## 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 emphasises 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.

Department of School Education & Literacy in collaboration with All India Football Federation (AIFF)  and  Fédération  Internationale  de  Football  Association  (FIFA)  has  launched  the  ambitious Football for Schools (F4S) programme of FIFA for school students across the country. The programme aims to significantly broaden the accessibility of football for students, regardless of gender, within the school setting,  while  seamlessly  integrating  football-related  activities  into  the  education  system  in collaboration with various stakeholders. Under this programme, more than 11 lakh FIFA footballs are to be distributed throughout the country in a phased manner. More than 1.50 lakh schools will benefit from  this  programme.  As  a  part  of  the  programme,  to  enhance  capacity  building,  recently  this department has conducted master training programme at 3 venues viz Sambalpur, Pune and Bengaluru where around 300 physical education teacher/trainees from States/UTs, KVS, NVS and AIFF across India participated with an aim to learn from the best and further use their training and skills as Master Trainers at State level for further capacity building in the field. Further, the kick-off of the distribution of balls was launched on 2 nd  December, 2023 from JNV Cuttack, Odisha.

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 in the Concurrent list of the Constitution and majority of the schools are within the  purview  of  respective  State  Government  and  UT  Administration.  As  per  Unified  District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) for the year 2021-22, the number of schools in the rural region of Hazaribagh and Ramgarh districts in Jharkhand that have playgrounds are 1051 and 381 respectively.

In  order  to  provide  the  playground  facility  and  child  friendly  school  environment  to  the students' provision for development of playground under strengthening of infrastructure in existing schools in Samagra Shiksha has been made. The Ministry of Rural Development issued a notification in  March,  2017  which  makes  a  provision  for  construction  of  play  fields  and  compound  walls  for Government run schools in the villages under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme. Further, Khelo India Scheme includes a vertical 'Play Field Development' which provides for putting  in  place  a  strong  institutionalized  mechanism  for  preserving,  protecting,  developing  and promoting playfields.

The Schedule to Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 lays down the  norms  and  standards  for  a  school  building.  A  school  building  has  to  be  an  all-weather building  comprising,  inter  alia,  playground  facility.  Further,  to  address  the  issue  of  shortage  of playgrounds in schools, this Ministry has issued an advisory to the State and UT Governments that the schools that do not have playgrounds, may make adequate arrangements in adjoining playground, municipal park etc., for children to play outdoor games and other physical activities.

****