(a) whether it is a fact that the Department of Ayurveda of the Government has recommended to make education on Yoga mandatory in Government schools in view of keeping children healthy;
(b) if so, the reaction of the Government thereon; and
(c) the percentage of schools in the country which are covered under the said programme, State/UT-wise ?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA)
(a) to (c) No recommendation has been received from the Ministry of AYUSH for making the Yoga compulsory in schools. However, as per the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2005, ‘Yoga’ is already an integral part of Health and Physical Education, which is a compulsory subject area from class I to X and optional subject at Senior Secondary stage. Education, being a subject in the Concurrent List of the Constitution, and the majority of the schools being under the jurisdiction of the State/ Union Territory (UT) Governments, it is for the respective State/ UT Governments to take appropriate action to comply with the NCF 2005 in the matter. So far as the schools affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) are concerned, the Health and Physical Education is compulsory subject for Classes I to X and optional subject at classes XI and XII.
****