Now, Yoga syllabus for central schools

The Centre on Monday launched an ambitious plan to teach Yoga to lakhs of students enrolled in central government-run schools, a day after India created two world records in the field.

Unveiling a course material and syllabus for teaching of Yoga in Classes VI to X here at a 2-day conference of Yoga teachers, Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani said the subject would not put any additional burden on the students with 80 per cent of the marks being reserved for practical and only 20 per cent for theory. 

“Yoga will be taught in upper primary and secondary (Class VI to X). We have decided that 80 per cent will be for practicals. However, I want an assurance from students that they will perform the practicals with full devotion,” she said, rolling out the programme.

Though the syllabus for Yoga was rolled out to make the ancient practice a more integral part of the physical education programme in central government-run schools, the minister said the states were free to decide on adopting it in their schools by linking it with the course curriculum.

She also launched a training module on Yoga for various teacher education and training programmes. The National Council for Teacher Education recently made Yoga a compulsory subject in various teacher education programme.

“We have prepared syllabus for teachers as well. One is diploma in Yoga education, bachelors in Yoga education and masters in Yoga education,” Irani said.

The yoga course material and syllabus for school children has been formulated by the National Council for Educational Research and Training.  

Yoga is already taught as an optional subject in schools like the Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas under the co-scholastic activity. 

The Central Board of Secondary School will soon come up with a strategy to introduce the Yoga course material and syllabus in the schools affiliated to it. The ministry plans to organise a national-level competition on Yoga next year.