NCERT makes yoga a compulsory subject

Updated on: Thursday, August 27, 2009

Bangalore: The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2005 has broad-based guidelines for physical education and elucidates the importance of including yoga as a compulsory subject. This will be implemented in schools soon.

Saroj Yadav, coordinator for health and physical education, NCERT, said yoga will now be made an integral part of physical education. 'So far, yoga was not taught independently. Now, it will be done so and it's compulsory for all states. Were ready with the syllabus and teacher guide. Were preparing the textbook. It should be implemented holistically from Class VI onwards,'she said.

But G Ravindra, joint director, NCERT, is not convinced. He said the syllabus was complete but the textbook was a problem. 'Physical education is practical-oriented. If we were to list all its methods, textbooks will be very bulky. And like art and aesthetics, it needs a different kind of evaluation. Arriving at a scientific method of evaluation is difficult. And because of these hurdles, implementation may take time,' said Ravindra.

'Though we don't have an exclusive yoga teacher in all KVs, our PT teachers are well trained in yoga. They demonstrate a few asanas during assembly and students learn from them. This is for all classes and weve been practising it for many years,' said KV Hebbal principal C Karunakaran.

NCERT makes yoga a compulsory subject

More Education news