The changes in the Indian education system were much needed and hence, the introduction of the New Education Policy in India in 2021 has been welcomed by many parents and educationists alike. The idea of holistic development forms the basis of the new policy. This mean, for a change, co-curricular are being given equal attention to as academics since the policies get implemented.
But what are its effects on sports? Sports as a career usually takes a backseat and is not the first choice, especially for Indian parents. Hence, many budding talents are lost even before they get the chance to bloom.
Does the new education policy have the power to change that? Let’s find out!
The National Education Policy’s Impact on Sports Education
The National Education Policy 2021 strongly emphasises including sports and physical education as a part of the curriculum. It is recognized as a subject to be taught and the physical aspects are limited to physical education sessions. The idea is not much different from what already exists. The policy merely makes it mandatory what was otherwise an option in many schools.
But does this perception do justice to nurturing young sports persons as a whole?
NEP in sports schools or any other institution unfortunately does not do much to change the notion of sports as a whole. The only positive impact is it mandates the practice. Thus, hopefully, it is also paving the way to a more comprehensive idea of sports at school in the near future.
To most people, parents and teachers alike, sports is either about playing it or a subject to be taught outside textbooks. This concept completely bypasses its experiential aspects where sports can become an elemental tool to shape young minds and bodies. Sports teaches many life lessons that are beyond the scope of classrooms like team spirit, strategizing, calculative decision making, and overall discipline and time management.
Thus, it cannot be denied that while the intention of NEP is holistic, it is still majorly flawed where mandating sports in schools is concerned.
The Importance of Sports Education
Almost every child enjoys a certain type of sports. If not a sport, they usually have hobbies they love more than academics. It has been witnessed that children tend to perform better in subjects or curriculum they love to do. This is an essential concept that is neglected when we study the NEP 2021. It does not truly work towards nurturing this love and enjoyment children have while playing, thus failing to hold the attention or interest of youngsters.
Sports education builds the personality and develops many life skills for children. Team sports or individual games, be it indoor or outdoor- contribute largely to this multi-faceted development. Now imagine, a child being entirely deprived of this experience- how does it impact one’s personality?
Best sports schools in West Bengal recognize this gap and hence have developed a sports-centric flexible curriculum. Here, academics and sports are equally prioritized and extraordinary talents are recognized and nurtured from an early stage.
By being a part of a sports school, children get the scope to find out their calling in specific types of sports while trying out different options. At the same time, their academics do not get neglected. But more than anything, the child has an overall physical and mental development that brings out the best in them as an adult later in life.
The comprehensive academics and sports training for future athletes at sports schools are also gaining popularity with parents who are recognizing the advantages. So even with the conceptual gap in NEP regarding sports, concerned parents still can get a solution when they look for true holistic development of their child.
