Lok Sabha Question No. 3876 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-22
Subject: Sports in Schools & Colleges
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: P. KUMAR, RABINDRA KUMAR JENA

## MINISTRY OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (DEPARTMENT OF SPORTS) LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No.3876 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.12.2015

Sports in Schools & Colleges

3876.  SHRI P. KUMAR: SHRI RABINDRA KUMAR JENA:

Will the Minister of YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that of late, all the schools and colleges do not give importance to sports, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  has  any  mechanism  to  ensure  that schools and colleges do not skip sports;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (d) whether the Government intends to establish training centres for different sports and activities like debating etc. for the youths outside the school curriculum, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

(a)  to  (d):  Primary  responsibility  for  promotion  and  development  of sports  including in schools and colleges is that of States, as 'Sports' is  a  State subject. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and Sports Authority of India supplement the efforts of the States.

School  Games  Federation  of  India  (SGFI)  and  Association  of India Universities (AIU) have been recognized by the Government of India as National Sports Promotion Organizations (NSPOs). SGFI and AIU are involved in promotion and development of sports and games in schools and colleges/universities respectively.

Conduct of National Championships in the Senior Category (both for men and women), in Junior and Sub-Junior Categories (both for  boys  and  girls)  is  part  of  annual  calendar  of  training  and competitions  of  the  NSFs.  Participants  in  Senior,  Junior  and  SubJunior Championships are basically from schools and colleges.

Central  Board  of  Secondary  Education  (CBSE)  has  made  it mandatory for all schools affiliated to it to provide one compulsory period for sports upto 10 th  class and two periods in a week for classes 11 and 12.

For identifying the talent and  nurturing  and  training the identified talent in the age group of 8 to 18 years, which is mainly from schools and colleges, the Sports Authority of India is running the following schemes:

(i) National Sports Talent Contest (NSTC): The main objective of the scheme is to identify gifted and talented sportspersons among school children in the age group of 8-14 years.

(ii) Army Boys Sports Companies (ABSC) is implemented in collaboration with the   Army.  Children in the age group of 8-16 years are imparted scientific training to achieve excellence at national and international levels.  The scheme also provides job opportunities in the Indian Army.

(iii) Special Area Games (SAG): This Scheme follows an area-specific approach to scout and nurture talent for modern competitive games and sports from tribal, rural, coastal and hilly areas of the country. The main objective of the scheme is to train talented and meritorious sportspersons in the age group of 12-18 years. (iv) SAI Training Centres (STC): Under this scheme, talented youth in the age group of 12-18 years are given the option to join the scheme on residential or non-residential basis. (v) Centres of Excellence (COX): The main objective of this scheme is to  identify  and  train  outstanding  sportspersons  who  are  medal prospects for the country in international competitions. Trainees under the above-mentioned schemes are provided with stipend,  sports  kit,  accidental  insurance,  as  well  as  competition exposure.

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