Question : PROMOTION OF SPORTS

(a) whether the Government has any proposal to treat sports at par with education;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c)whether the Government proposes to provide equal opportunity to all children between the age of six and sixteen to participate and be trained in various fields of sports/games; and

(d) if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT, ENTERPRENEURSHIP, YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS (SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)

(a)&(b): Sports is already an integral part of education. 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 school;

(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 11th and 12th.

(c)&(d): As ‘Sports’ is in state list, primary esponsibility for promotion and development of sports including providing equal opportunity to children for participation and training in various fields of sports/games is that of State Governments. As far as the schemes of Sports Authority of India (SAI), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports entrusted with talent identification and nurturing of identified children, is concerned, young talented children in the following age groups are identified for nurturing and providing scientific training for achieving excellence in sports:

 S. No.	Name of Schemes of SAI	Age Group 1.	National Sports Talent Competition (NSTC)	8-14 Years 2.	Army Boys Sports Companies (ABSC)	8-16 Years 3.	SAI Training Centres (STC)	14-21 Years 4.	Special Area Games (SAG)	12-18 Years 5.	Centres of Excellence (COE)	12-25 Years