The Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs and Sports Shri Sarbananda Sonowal has said that the Government proposes to identify sporting talent among students all over the country in the age group of 8 - 12 years through a battery of scientific tests and nurture such identified talents to make them excel at the National and international sports competitions.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha today Shri Sonowal said, the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports is running sports talent hubs in the form of SAI Training Centres (STC)/Special Area Games (SAG) Centres etc., through the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
He said, there is no scheme being implemented by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports for promotion of sports among girl children and women and by introducing sports as part of the curriculum in schools to promote physical health. Further, Sports being is a State subject, the primary responsibility for encouraging sports among students at school level is that of States. However, Department of Sports and the Sports Authority of India supplement the efforts of the States. To this end, in the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan (RGKA) annual sports competitions, there is inter alia provision for holding of a separate Women Competition. School Games Federation of India (SGFI) and Association of Indian Universities (AIU) have been recognized by the Government of India as National Sports Promotion Organizations (NSPOs) and are eligible for the same level of assistance as are available to National Sports Federations (NSFs).
The Minister said, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, has been enacted, making elementary education a Fundamental Right, which, inter alia, provides for
(i) a play ground for each school;
(ii) A part time instructor for physical education in upper primary schools;
(iii) Supply of play material, games and sports equipment, as required, to schools.
In terms of the provisions of the RTE Act, no school shall be established or recognized unless it fulfils the norms specified in the Schedule attached to the Act. Further, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has made it mandatory for all schools affiliated to it to provide one compulsory period for sports upto 10th class and two periods in a week for classes 11 and 12, Shri Sonowal added.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha today Shri Sonowal said, the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports is running sports talent hubs in the form of SAI Training Centres (STC)/Special Area Games (SAG) Centres etc., through the Sports Authority of India (SAI).
He said, there is no scheme being implemented by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports for promotion of sports among girl children and women and by introducing sports as part of the curriculum in schools to promote physical health. Further, Sports being is a State subject, the primary responsibility for encouraging sports among students at school level is that of States. However, Department of Sports and the Sports Authority of India supplement the efforts of the States. To this end, in the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Abhiyan (RGKA) annual sports competitions, there is inter alia provision for holding of a separate Women Competition. School Games Federation of India (SGFI) and Association of Indian Universities (AIU) have been recognized by the Government of India as National Sports Promotion Organizations (NSPOs) and are eligible for the same level of assistance as are available to National Sports Federations (NSFs).
The Minister said, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, has been enacted, making elementary education a Fundamental Right, which, inter alia, provides for
(i) a play ground for each school;
(ii) A part time instructor for physical education in upper primary schools;
(iii) Supply of play material, games and sports equipment, as required, to schools.
In terms of the provisions of the RTE Act, no school shall be established or recognized unless it fulfils the norms specified in the Schedule attached to the Act. Further, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has made it mandatory for all schools affiliated to it to provide one compulsory period for sports upto 10th class and two periods in a week for classes 11 and 12, Shri Sonowal added.
