SC's notice on plea to include yoga in curriculum

Response sought from KVs and other central schools

The Supreme Court has sought a response from Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangthan (KVS) as well as from other schools run by the Central Government on a plea seeking inclusion of yoga as a subject in school education in conformity with the National Curriculum Framework 2005.

A Bench of Justices H L Dattu and C K Prasad issued notices also to Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas on the special leave petition filed by J C Seth and others challenging a Delhi High Court judgment.

Refusal

The HC had on September 22, 2009 refused to pass any direction to the Centre or to the National Council for Educational, Research and Training (NCERT) to incorporate yoga in the curriculum for school children.

“We are of the considered opinion that there is no need to introduce yoga as a part of the syllabi for the purpose of holding classes or in examination.
What the NCERT has done is that it has included yoga as a part of the physical education programme,” the court had said.

In their plea, the petitioners sought direction to develop curriculum, syllabus courses and text books for study of yoga comprising of “pranayam” science of breathing and also “Asans” science of body postures and also the evaluation procedure thereof for all students from Class I to Class VIII, in terms of Section 29 of the Education Act within a specified period.

The petitioners contended that the government had failed to make yoga as part of the formal school education despite the recommendation in the National Curriculum Framework 2005.

Paradigm shifts

The National Curriculum Framework 2005 envisaged some paradigm shifts in the education system with an aim to reorient our educational system with a view to remove learning burden from children, they said.

The National Curriculum Framework 2005, which is a researched based document approved by the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE), the highest advisory body to the Centre and state governments in the field of education, has recommended yoga to be introduced from the primary level in informal ways and formal introduction of yogic exercises from class VI onwards, the petition added.