As India aspires to build a future-ready workforce and globally competitive leadership, a crucial pillar of holistic education is being dangerously neglected — physical education. A recent policy commentary has reignited debate on the urgent need to restore physical activity as a core component of India’s schooling system, warning that academic excellence cannot thrive without physical wellbeing.
Over the past two decades, physical education (PE) in Indian schools has steadily lost priority, often reduced to an optional period or sidelined altogether in favour of exam-oriented learning. Experts argue that this shift has contributed to rising levels of childhood obesity, poor fitness, mental stress, and reduced attention spans among students — challenges that directly affect academic performance and emotional resilience.
Research increasingly shows that physically active students perform better academically, demonstrate stronger discipline, teamwork, leadership skills, and exhibit improved mental health. Physical education, when delivered effectively, builds foundational life skills such as perseverance, collaboration, time management, and confidence — traits essential not just in sports, but in classrooms, workplaces, and civic life.
The article underscores that many developed nations treat physical education as a strategic investment in human capital, integrating structured sports, fitness assessment, and wellness education into school curricula. In contrast, India’s PE ecosystem suffers from undertrained instructors, inadequate infrastructure, inconsistent curriculum standards, and minimal assessment frameworks.
With the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasising holistic development, educators believe this is a defining moment to reimagine physical education — not as a recreational add-on, but as an academic discipline aligned with learning outcomes. Recommendations include mandating daily physical activity, professionalising PE teacher training, upgrading school sports infrastructure, and embedding fitness metrics into student assessment systems.
The commentary argues that ignoring physical education today risks producing a generation that may be academically qualified but physically unprepared and mentally strained. Reviving PE, therefore, is not about producing athletes alone — it is about nurturing healthier learners, resilient leaders, and a stronger nation.
As India pushes forward in education reform, rescuing physical education could be one of the most impactful yet underappreciated steps toward long-term national progress.
⚠️ Disclaimer
Disclaimer: This article is an original editorial adaptation based on publicly available opinion and commentary published by The Economic Times. CareerVarta does not claim authorship of the original opinion piece. Views expressed reflect broader education and health perspectives and do not represent official policy positions. Readers are advised to refer to the original source for the full opinion context.
