Physical Education Mandatory for Students: CBSE

Emphasising the need for physical fitness and good health, CBSE has made one class of physical education mandatory for all students. During this period, it will be compulsory for students to go to the playground and engage in any of the listed physical activities. They will also receive grades according to their performance.

According to the Board, good health is often a state of physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. Though CBSE has advised all its affiliated schools to keep one period reserved for physical education and other sports activities, city schools are not so happy with CBSE's instructions. Ms Anjali Razdan, vice chairperson of Sahodaya Schools Complex, CBSE School Association in Hyderabad, said, “Though the instructions are very helpful for the students, it’s really impossible to increase one period daily without increasing the time, which in turn leads to a curriculum overload.

Dr Narsimha Reddy, principal of Hyderabad Public School, Ramanthapur said, “It’s a very good thought but how many schools have grounds? It might be difficult for those schools to make time for games. Ms N. Madhu a city parent told the newspaper, “Several steps taken by CBSE are appreciable like the present one. However, their implementation capacity is debatable.”