THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE)FOR YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
(SHRI JITENDRA SINGH)
(a) & (b) Primary responsibility for promotion and development of sports
including in schools and colleges is that of States, as ‘Sports’ is a
State subject. However, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and
the Sports Authority of India supplement the efforts of the States.
School Games Federation of India (SGFI) and Association of
Indian Universities (AIU) have been recognized by the Government of
India as National Sports Promotion Organizations (NSPOs) and are
eligible for the same level of assistance as are available to National
Sports Federations (NSFs). The Scheme of Assistance to NSFs provides
for assistance for conduct of National Championships and International
tournaments in India, participation in International competitions abroad,
organizing coaching camps, procurement of sports equipments, engagement
of foreign coaches, etc. SGFI and AIU are involved in promotion and
development of sports and games in schools and colleges/universities
respectively.
Conduct of National Championships in the Senior Category (both for
men and women), in Junior and Sub-Junior Categories (both for boys and girls)
is part of the annual calendar of training and competitions of the NSFs.
Participants in Junior and Sub-Junior Championships are basically from
schools. Entitlements of financial assistance from the Government under
the Scheme of Assistance to NSFs are as under:
S. No Event details Financial assistance admissible (Rupees in lakhs)
1. Senior National Championship for men/Women (combined) Rs.2.00 lakhs
2. Junior National Championship for Boys & Girls (combined) Rs.4.00 lakhs
3. Sub-Junior National Championship for Boys & Girls (combined) Rs.6.00 lakhs
4. Regional championships upto a maximum of 6 championships @ Rs. 1.00 lakh
for each Zonal championship upto a maximum for Men & Women per year. of Rs.6.00 lakhs for six Zonal Championships
Note: In case the Federations organizes the championships separately for Men & Women,
only 50% of the admissible grant is considered for sanction for each category.
It would be seen from the Table above that the quantum of financial assistance
is three times in case of Sub Junior National Championship and two times in case of
the Junior National Championships compared to that of the Senior National Championships.
This is to amplify the concerted efforts of the Government in promoting games and
competitions at the school and college levels.
Further, the main feeder of the sportspersons for various sports disciplines
is from schools and colleges. So, sportspersons, including those from schools
and colleges representing the country in various international sports events
through the concerned NSFs avail the requisite financial assistance and facilities
of coaching etc. under the provisions of the Scheme of Assistance to NSFs.
National University Games and National School Games have been among the
main platforms for Talent Search and Talent Promotion on scientific lines and
in a professional way for the purpose of throwing up sporting potential to feed
the national stream and creating a large pool of talent with attainable and
sustainable performance.
For identifying the talent and nurturing and training the identified
talent in the age group of 8 to 25 years, which is mainly from schools and
colleges, the Sports Authority of India is running the following schemes:
(i) National Sports Talent Competition (NSTC): The main objective of the scheme
is to identify gifted and talented sportspersons among school children in the
age group of 8-14 years.
(ii) Army Boys Sports Companies (ABSC): is implemented in collaboration with the
Army. Children in the age group of 8-14 years are imparted scientific training
to achieve excellence at national and international levels. The scheme also
provides job opportunities in the Indian Army.
(iii) Special Area Games (SAG): This Scheme follows an area-specific approach
to scout and nurture talent for modern competitive games and sports from tribal,
rural, coastal and hilly areas of the country. The main objective of the scheme
is to train talented and meritorious sportspersons in the age group of 14-21 years.
(iv) SAI Training Centres (STC): Under this scheme, talented youth in the age
group of 14-21 years are given the option to join the scheme on residential or
non-residential basis.
(v) Centres of Excellence (COX): The main objective of this scheme is to identify
and train outstanding sportspersons in the age group of 17 to 25 years and above
who are medal prospects for the country in international competitions.
Trainees under the above-mentioned schemes are provided with stipend, sports
kit, accidental insurance as well as competition exposure.
Under NSTC Scheme, adopted schools, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, Indigenous
Games and Martial Arts Centres are covered. Besides, extension centres of STC/
SAG are also functioning for wider coverage of sportspersons from schools and
colleges.
As on date, there are 22 NSTC adopted schools, 15 Jawahar Navodaya
Vidyalayas (JNVs), 24 Indigenous Games and Martial Arts (IGMA) Centres, 40
Akharas, 4 centres on pattern of Akharas, 15 ASBC centres, 61 STC centres,
21 SAG centres, 94 Extension centres of STC/ SAG and 12 Centres of Excellence
.
Further, for broad-basing of sports at the grassroots level, the Ministry
of Youth Affairs & Sports has introduced a centrally sponsored scheme titled
‘Panchayat Yuva Krida aur Khel Abhiyan’ (PYKKA), which aims at creation/
development of basic playfields in all village panchayats and block panchayats
of the country in a phased manner over a period of 10 years and providing
access to organized sports competitions at block, district, state and national
levels. So far, 55,748 villages and block panchayats have already been covered
under the PYKKA scheme since 2008-09. About 90% the basic playfields being
created/developed under the Scheme of PYKKA are located in schools. Most of
the participants in sports competitions conducted under the Scheme of PYKKA
are school children.
Details of participants in PYKKA competitions are as under:
S.No. Year Number of participant Total Male Female
1. 2008-09 4,72,329 2,49,190 7,21,519
2. 2009-10 13,75,102 8,73,842 22,48,944
3. 2010-11 24,17,500 18,93,333 43,11,333
4. 2011-12 16,42,410 12,09,523 28,51,933
(c) Details of grants released to NSFs including SGFI and AIU during the
last three years are given in Annexure.
(d) & (e): 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 to all schools affiliated to it to provide one compulsory
period for sports upto 10th class and two periods in a week for classes
11 and 12.
