YOUTH AND SPORTS
 

I. THE PRESENT SITUATION

No information about the present position of health, yoga and physical education in the school education curricula of different States and Union Territories is available. However, at present, adequate participation and satisfactory performance in sports and physical education is not considered a necessary condition for promotion to the next higher class as in the case of other subjects.

2. The 'National Curriculum for Primary and Secondary Education - A Framework prepared by N.C.E.R.T. in December, 1985, suggests the following allocation of time in school education for physical and health education;-

 
        
             (a) Lower Primary stage(Classes I - V)            10%
             (b) Upper Primary stage(Classes VI-VIII)          10%
             (c) Secondary stage (Classes IX and X)            8%
        
                                          

At the senior secondary stage, the scheme of studies prescribed by the CBSE is quite flexible so that the students can select their subjects leaving out the elective subject of physical education altogether.

3. The only reliable data about playfields and equipment at the school level are set forth in the Fourth All India Educational Survey conducted by the NCERT with 30th September, 1978, as the reference date. The findings of the Survey are as follows:-

        
        (a)  Availability of Playfields
        
         
             Lower Primary Schools                   46.54%
             Upper Primary Schools                   66.09%
             High and Higher Secondary Schools       83.41%
        
         
        (b)  Games and Sports Equipment
        
         
             Lower Primary Schools                   15.42%
             Upper Primary Schools                   64.91%
             High and Higher Secondary Schools       92.89%
        
        
                                          

4. At the stage of higher education, facilities for study of physical education at graduate, post-graduate and diploma/certificate levels are available only in twenty-nine universities located in ten States. No statistics about the physical facilities for games and sports in higher education sector are available, but it can safely be stated that in universities and colleges, games and sports have been neglected areas.

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5. In the area of involvement of youth in national and social development, sports and games, etc., particularly through educational institutions, the National Service Scheme already involves about 7 lakh students in its programmes of social service and that over a million students are enrolled under the National Cadet Corps at the stages of higher secondary and higher education, with about 4 lakhs out of these being at the latter stage. The National Service Volunteer Scheme provides opportunities, on a voluntary basis, though in a limited way at present, to fresh graduates to involve themselves in tasks of national development in rural areas. A large body of students out of a population of about 3 million in institutions of higher learning is thus not covered under any of the existing schemes.

6. Yoga is being taught in 366 Kendriya Vidyalayas out of the total number of 540 spread all over the country as an independent subject on an experimental basis since the academic year 1981-82. Yoga is also taught in the schools in Delhi Administration. Information regarding states is not available.

II. IDENTIFICATION OF KEY AREAS IN THE NATIONAL-POLICY ON EDUCATION

7. Two key areas stand out, namely (i) integration of sports and physical education in the learning process and evaluation of performance and (ii) involvement of youth in national and social development and sports and games, etc., particularly, through educational institutions at the level of higher learning.

III. THE PROGRAMME

8. The following broad programme of action needs to be implemented:-

CURRICULUM

i) At the lower primary stage, considering the age of children, there is need for considerable physical activity even while they are in school. This need not necessarily involve use of sports equipment. At this level, physical education and games should be only in the form of participation/activities and not in the form of textual reading/ learning materials. A minimum of ten periods a week should be devoted for physical education and sports.

ii) At the upper primary stage, while participation in activities relating to physical education and sports should be the main theme, some elements of textual materials could be introduced also. A minimum of one period a day should be devoted for physical education and sports at this stage.

iii) At the secondary level again, one period a day should be devoted to physical education and games.

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iv) At the senior secondary level, some limited opportunities become available to students to take part in activities such as NCC and NSS. However, for such of the students who do not participate in these activities, participation in other organised endeavours related to physical education such as scouting and guiding, adventure activities, besides sports, should be made- compulsory.

v) In the sphere of higher education, the curriculum should provide compulsory participation of students, at least at the first degree level, in sports and games, physical education activities, NCC, NSS, scouting and guiding, adventure or other suitable activities.

vi) The National Council of Educational Research and Training and the University Grants Commission, in concert with appropriate bodies of the State Governments and LNCPE and NSNIS, should finalize a model curriculum and syllabus in physical education including yoga and sports, that could be made applicable to the different stages of school and higher education. NCERT should also prepare the model text books on the subjects relating to physical education, sports and yoga.

vii) Sports and physical education should be included in the evaluation of performance at different stages of education:

EVALUATION

(a) At the level of school education, assessment of participation and performance in sports and physical education activities may continue to be done in the form of grading. However, the grade awarded to a child in sports and physical education should have the same weightage in the annual examination as is attached to marks and grades in other subjects. Grades in physical education and sports corresponding to failure should be clearly identified.

(b) At the undergraduate level, regular participation in sports, NSS and other activities that may be specified, should be considered as a qualifying requirement for promotion to the next higher class and award of degrees. The percentage of attendance that would constitute regular participation in these activities will have to be laid down.

(c) Where students outstanding in sports are unable, because of their participation in sports tournaments or coaching camps, to take their examinations at the appointed time, efforts will be made to provide facilities to them to appear at examinations later.

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INFRASTRUCTURE

viii) In order to make it possible that the above mentioned activities at the stage of school and higher education are included in the curricula and made part of evaluation, creation and supplementing of the available infrastructure in schools and institutes of higher learning would be necessary. The following measures will, therefore, have to be taken:-

(a) A quick survey should be undertaken by the Central/ State agencies of the availability of trained teachers in the sphere of physical education and sports at the stage of school and higher education and also of the physical infrastructure available for these activities in institutions of higher learning.

(b) Basing on the results of the survey, the States and Central agencies should draw tip plans so that the necessary infrastructure is provided in all educational institutions, if possible, by the end of the Eighth Five Year Plan.

(c) Full utilisation of the amount provided under the scheme of National Sports Organisation for promotion of sports iii universities and colleges in Seventh Five Year Plan should be ensured. The detailed survey proposed with regard to the availability of sports Infrastructure may be conducted by the UGC within the next one year so that the actual requirements of funds as may become necessary as a result of the survey could be built into the Eighth Five Year Plan.

(d) The local village institutions should be prevailed upon to make available at least one acre of land for a lower primary school and 2.5 acres of land for an upper primary school for use as playgrounds. The local community should be encouraged to undertake the development of the land for sports and benefit of schemes of rural development also made available for this purpose.

(e) As a general rule, it should be mandatory for a secondary or a senior secondary school to have play- grounds according to the prescribed norms before they are granted recognition by the appropriate State/Central authorities. Where however, due to unavoidable reasons land is not available, alternative arrangements by sharing of playgrounds by two or more schools or use of public land should be ensured.

(f) On the basis of the data available in the 4th All India Educational Survey and the number of secondary and senior secondary schools in 1983-84, there are

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about 10,000 such schools not having playgrounds.These should be provided with playgrounds on priority.

(g) In consonance with National Policy on Education -1986 and National Sports Policy-1984, the Central and State Governments should ensure, if necessary by suitable legislation, that available playfields and stadia in rural and urban areas are preserved for sports purposes and progressively more available open spaces made available for sports and physical education acti- vities.

(h) In towns, four to five acres of land should be earmarked through Master Plans/Town Plans/Local Plans for use as common playgrounds.

(i) As a rule, no college either general or technical, should be allowed to come up without ensuring availa- bility of adequate playfield facilities.

ix) Where playfield facilities and other infrastructure are not readily available in an institution, sports and physical education syllabi should be so designed that they lend themselves for evaluation of performance on a basis comparable to that obtaining in institutions with requisite facilities.

x) The requirements of equipment for games and sports, keeping in view the rise in prices, are large. On a rough estimate the following minimum amounts per annum should be provided for institutions at various levels:

 
                  Lower Primary Schools                   Rs. 1,000
                  Upper Primary Schools                   Rs. 5,000
                  Secondary/Senior Secondary Schools      Rs.15,000
                  Colleges                                Rs.25,000
                  University Campuses                     Rs.1,00,000
        
        
                                          

Twice the amounts mentioned above should be provided to the institutions as non-recurring expenditure.

xi) Integration of physical education and sports with the learning process would require provision and orientation of physical education teachers in various educational institutions. While generally institutions of secondary/senior secondary level have physical education teachers on their staff strength, and a few of the upper primary schools also have physical education teachers, there are no separate physical education teachers in the lower primary schools. To fill in this void:

TEACHERS

(a) Training in physical education should be made part of the

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curriculum of teacher training institutions at the elementary level (primary and upper primary) as also in the teacher training colleges.

(b) At least, one teacher in each primary and upper primary school should be exposed to an orientation course in physical education in a phased manner during the vacations commencing from summer break in 1987. The physical education teachers of the nearby secondary schools can be the resource personnel to begin with. The number of the teachers to be orientated will be about 6,00,000. They could be covered at the rate of about 2,00,000 per year. Thus by the end of the Seventh Five Year Plan each lower and upper primary school would have at 'Least one teacher orientated to physical education.

xii) Since teachers in physical education are available in secondary and senior secondary schools, they may be provided special orientation in coaching for games and sports. The number of such schools being about 60,000, the number of physical education teachers therein may be around 1 lakh. These could be given orientation courses during summer vacations commencing from summer of 1987 so that all are covered by the end of the Eighth Five Year Plan.

xiii) At the level of higher education with collaborative arrangements between LNCPE/NSNIS and the concerned colleges, refresher training programmes will have to be conducted for the Directors of Physical Education of colleges and universities. These institutions should be able to meet the cost of these programmes within their own budgets.

YOUTH

xiv) The youth of the country comprising about 30% of the population between the age group of 15-35 constitutes a vital and vibrant human resource of the nation. They have a right as well as an obligation to make their contribution in national affairs in general, and national development in particular. The need, therefore, of providing increasing opportunities to young persons to enable them to develop their personality, upgrade their functional capabilities, make themselves economically productive and socially useful, is fully recognised. The Central and State Governments should provide such opportunities on a large scale.

xv) Enrolment under the National Service Scheme is expected to go up from about six lakh students at the commencement of the Seventh Five Year Plan to about one million students at the end of it. The increase in enrolment under NSS at the rate of 10% per annum should be kept up even during the Eighth Five Year Plan, so that the enrolment increases to

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about sixteen lakh students at the end of Eighth Five Year Plan.

xvi) The National Service Volunteer Scheme which provides an opportunity to educated young persons to share in the task of development in the rural areas, will be greatly strengthend and expanded during the Seventh Five Year Plan and beyond. Further, towards this end, an effective programme of training young persons who opt to become national service volunteers will be implemented and opportunities for such volunteers to work in voluntary youth organisations and other sectors also provided.

YOGA

xvii) Efforts should be made to gradually provide instruction in Yoga at all stages of education up to the higher secondary stage.

xviii) Yoga should be introduced in the Teacher Training Courses at different levels. Further, for providing in-service training to the existing teachers, well-known institutions in the country should be identified and the teachers provided with training of adequate duration. Having regard to the nature of yoga, the process will have to be slow and no time limit can be laid down.

GENERAL