Yoga in schools trains its sights on young robust India

In two separate developments a day after the International Yoga Day, the Government on Monday announced yoga will be introduced as a subject from Classes VI to X in all Central Government-run schools — Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas — and 80 out of 100 marks will be reserved for practical during which students have to perform various asanas. The Government also launched schemes for certifying yoga trainers. 

While Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani announced yoga will also be introduced as course curriculum in teachers’ training, the AYUSH Ministry, along with the Quality Control of India, launched voluntary certification scheme for the yoga trainers to ensure uniform standard in yoga education.

“Yoga will be taught in upper primary and secondary (Class VI to X). We have decided that 80 per cent will be for practical. I want assurance from students that they will perform the practical with full devotion,” Irani said, addressing a large gathering of teachers, school students and top HRD Ministry officials during the two-day National Conference for Yoga Teachers. 

The remaining 20 per cent marks will be for theory, she said, adding that there will be no additional burden on the students. Officials said the Ministry is considering whether the subject can be introduced in schools from this academic session itself with some of the books on yoga being prepared by the NCERT.

“Our aim is to ensure our children go to school happily. Our aim is to give a push to physical activities in schools,” the Minister said. “A national-level competition on yoga would be organised in the Capital next year where the best performing student will be given a cash prize of `5 lakh,” Irani said.

The Minister said a training module on yoga would be established for teachers’ education programme. The aim is to produce a pool of trained teachers in yoga to meet the growing demand for them, she said. “We have prepared syllabus for teachers as well for diploma in yoga education, bachelors in yoga education and masters in yoga education,” she said. A “Kala Utsav” would also be organised in December at Connaught Place (Central Park) here where ethnic culture, song and dance would be showcased by students from across the country. 

In a separate event, the Government launched voluntary certification schemes for yoga professionals to certify their competence. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and AYUSH Minister Shripad Naik together launched the scheme for “Voluntary Certification of Yoga Professionals”, prepared by the Quality Control of India (QCI).