Chapter 3 : FIT India: Towards a Healthy Future Introduction

• With the enhancement of physical and psychological wellbeing, sports promote holistic development. Moreover, it enhances cognitive capacity.

• Students gain a solid understanding of core values through athletics, including cooperation, discipline, teamwork, fair play, and tolerance.

• Physical education and sports are incorporated into the curriculum as part of a comprehensive education (SDG 4: Promote inclusive and excellent education for all and promote lifelong learning).

Significance 0f sports

• It further improves social connectedness among groups and cultures. Also, it is necessary for participation in future group activities and in the workforce.

• It promotes both social and individual growth.

• Integrating sports into the classroom boosts productivity, strengthens human capital, and promotes peace.

• As a result, the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 places a strong emphasis on integrating sports into educational strategies that make use of physical activities, especially indigenous sports.

• The National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE), which is currently being designed, will incorporate sports, fitness, and other topics into the academic programme while keeping in mind the aforementioned guidelines.

FIT India Movement

• On August 29, 2019, the FIT India movement was established with the goal of integrating fitness into daily life.

• The World Health Organization claims that exercise helps foster cognitive growth and healthy mental health.

• The goal of FIT India is to modify people's behaviours and encourage them to lead more physically active lives.

• The purpose of this is to promote exercise as a simple, enjoyable, and cost-free hobby.

• through targeted advertising, raise awareness of fitness and the numerous physical activities that support it.

• to promote native sports.

• to ensure that every school, university, panchayat, and village are all active.

• the creation of a forum for Indian individuals to exchange knowledge, raise awareness, and promote the sharing of personal fitness narratives.

Initiative

• The FIT India Samagra Shiksha Programme has undergone a number of initiatives to increase its impact and raise awareness of it. For example, all government schools have received an annual sports stipend under the programme.

• If at least two students from a school win a medal at the national level in the Khelo India school games, an additional sports award of up to Rs 25,000 has been made available to schools.

• FIT India School Movement: In the months of November and December, schools are encouraged to host a FIT India School Week.

• FIT India School Week: FIT India School Week was established in 2019 to promote fitness awareness among children and their parents, teachers, and school staff.

• The FIT India Quiz was launched in 2021 with the intention of enhancing its presence in schools and disseminating the FIT India message to students.

• FIT India Freedom Run 3.0: The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced the launch of FIT INDIA FREEDOM RUN 3.0. The Department of Sports has developed a rating system based on the tools available in the FIT India Schools in order to make it a movement of the people.

• The Department of School Education and Literacy has invited all schools to participate in order for them to get a 3- or 5-Star rating from FIT India.

• To increase awareness,  the FIT India mobile app has been created

Conclusion