Mumbai schools refuse to take part in Yoga Olympiad
Mumbai city news: Schools said they don’t have time for too many extra-curricular activities and will only mark the day with token activities
Schools in the city have refused to take part in a Yoga Olympiad from Sunday to Tuesday, ahead of World Yoga Day on June 21 — Wednesday.
Schools said they don’t have time for too many extra-curricular activities and will only mark the day with token activities.
The olympiad will be held for the first time this year by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). It has described the event as “an Olympic sports event or peace run in the field of yoga.” According to the ministry of human resource development (MHRD), the objective of the Yoga Olympiad is to understand the yogic practices, so as to apply it in one’s life. “It aims to develop a healthy habit and humane values in children. It also intends to develop physical, emotional and mental health through yogic activities,” reads the statement.
City schools feel the olympiad is a bit much. “We are already doing too many activities centred around yoga,” said Avnita Bir, principal, RN Podar School, Santacruz. Last year, Vinod Tawde, state education minister, asked all schools in Maharashtra to organise yoga programmes on the 21st of every month (other than Sundays) and not just on June 21. The circular was issued after Tawde said yoga should become a year-long activity, instead of a day-long celebration.
Most schools have planned activities for June 21. “Debates, quizzes and art competitions will be conducted for all the students from class 1 to class 12. Members of the Art of Living Foundation will hold few sessions for the students,” Deepshikha Srivastava, principal of Rajhans Vidyalaya, Andheri. Some schools are re-opening for the new academic year from next week, so they cannot participate. “We held yoga sessions last Friday for staff who are back from vacation. Students are still on a break,” said Mallika Subramaniam, principal of Navy Children School, Colaba
What happens in a yoga olympiad?
Competitions will be organised at the state level across India
Teams will be then sent to the national-level olympiad, which will be held in Delhi
A team comprises four boys and four girls
About World Yoga Day
The state and centre have been insisting on practising yoga in schools since last year after the United Nations adopted an India-led resolution declaring June 21 as Yoga Day
Last month, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) made yoga and surya namaskar compulsory across all civic schools
The Bombay high court also upheld this decision saying that yoga is just a form of exercise good for the body, when an activist challenged the civic body’s order
Read: Impractical to observe Yoga Day every month: Mumbai schools
Surya namaskar and yoga made mandatory in Mumbai civic schools