HRD Ministry to organize several programmes to popularise Yoga

New Delhi, June 18, 2017:Yoga is a way of living that aims towards ‘a healthy mind in a healthy body’ and to inculcate the benefits of yoga in our everyday life the Ministry of Human Resource Development has taken various initiatives to promote it among the masses specially the students and faculties in all parts of the country on 3rd International Day of Yoga (21st June, 2017).

Initiatives taken by Department of School Education and Literacy:

Yoga Olympiad 2017 is the Second Olympiad involving school children from upper-Primary to secondary stages will be organized by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) from 18th -20th June, 2017 at NCERT, New Delhi.

The idea behind conducting an Olympiad is that it should feel like an Olympic Sports event or peace run in the field of yoga. The message intended through the yoga Olympiad is to achieve peace, harmony and love in collaboration. The Yoga Olympiad will be organised by NCERT along with the Regional Institute of Education (RIEs) this year. The theme for the Yoga Olympiad is ‘Yoga for Health and Harmony’.

The objective of the Yoga Olympiad is to understand the yogic practices 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.

NCERT has already initiated the process to conduct the Yoga Olympiad for the year 2017. They have sent the Scheme and General Guidelines for Yoga Olympiad, 2017 to all the States / U.T.s with a request to organize Yoga Olympiad up to State level and send teams for participation in the National Level Yoga Olympiad to be held at New Delhi. In the National level Yoga Olympiad, scheduled to be held in New Delhi from 18th June to 20th June 2017, State / U.T. level winning teams of students consisting of four boys and four girls at upper primary stage and four boys and four girls at the secondary stage will participate.

Besides, this Department has also request all the Education Secretaries of States / U.Ts. to issue necessary instructions to the concerned authorities in their respective States / U.Ts. to facilitate successful conduct of the International Yoga Olympiad Day of Yoga, 2017 by encouraging participation of students / staff in large numbers. Similar instructions have also been issued to all the autonomous organizations under the Deptt. of SE&L.

Programmes organized by Department of Higher Education to promote IDY 2017:

University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued various circulars and requested Vice- Chancellors of all Universities to adopt the following activities during the celebration of International Day of Yoga on June 21st, 2017:

· Involve a very elaborate training programme on Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) for Mass Yoga performance as well as discourses, lectures and talks by eminent Yoga experts.

· Ensuring the maximum participation of the students on for the event and further that the students should be trained at least for a month.

· Observe IDY on 21st June, 2017 and participate in the Yoga demonstrations along with organization of quiz competition, yoga trainings, etc.

· Organize Yoga workshops for college teachers and to introduce yoga programme in annual festivals of colleges and universities to promote yoga among youth.

UGC has approved courses on Yoga for BSc (Yoga), MSc (Yoga), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD in Yoga), PG Diploma in Yoga, PG Diploma in Yoga Therapy. UGC through CBSE has already started Yoga as a subject matter for NET examination. In the NET Examination held on 22.01.2017, 7279 candidates have appeared. UGC has identified yoga departments in 54 Universities and National Level Yoga centres in 3 Universities and 2 Institutions. 6 Central Universities have been identified for Yoga Departments. UGC has granted Rs. 10 Crore each to all 6 Central Universities. UGC has also constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Dr.

H.R Nagendra, Chancellor, Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana – S-VYASA University, Bengaluru, to assess the feasibility of establishing an Inter University Centre for Yogic Sciences. The committee has since submitted the report to Government.

AICTE have informed that they have already issued a circular to all Technical Institutions approved by AICTE to celebrate IDY, 2017 and conduct awareness programmes on the benefits of Yoga through workshops. All India Boards of studies of AICTE, are considering to incorporate Yoga and value education in Engineering Course curriculum. AICTE have also informed that AICTE is also organizing workshops at different places in coordination with S- VYASA University to create awareness among students and faculty of Technical Institutions.

MHRD has issued letters to IITs, IIITs, IIMs, IISERs, IISc, NITs and all Higher Educational Institutions to celebrate International Day of Yoga, 2017 with full vigour, including Yoga demonstrations, yogathons, lectures, discussions, conferences, quiz competitions, etc. IITs have geared up themselves to celebrate IDY, 2017 by organizing several lectures, meditations/ workshops, Yoga camps, Yogasana competitions, Yoga display programmes along with their ongoing Yoga activities throughout the year to inculcate Yoga among IITians as a way of life.

NITs are also at the forefront in celebrating IDY, 2017 through meditation camps, classes, and interesting Lectures on Yoga such as Yoga in Digital Age, yoga as stress buster, importance of Yoga followed by demonstrations and practise of asanas and Pranayama to inspire participants to take “Yoga Sankalp” to practise Yoga activities on a day to day basis for a complete year. Initiative was taken to organize an Inter-NIT Level Yoga Competition which was acknowledged by all NITs and the first ever “All India Inter NIT Yoga Championship” was organized by NIT Surathkal during 17.03.2017 to 19.03.2017 to instil Yogic lifestyle in students to make IDY, 2017 a grand success.

IIMs are also celebrating International Day of Yoga by practice sessions of Yogasanas, lectures from Yoga experts, speech and felicitation ceremonies, quiz sessions, diet suggestion sessions, and health improvement tips through Yoga breathing or Pranayama.

IGNOU has also confirmed that the University will organize a three day Yoga Festival with various activities of Yoga from 19th June to 21st June 2017 commemorating the event with musical programs, Lectures, Illustrations.

Ministry of AYUSH requested that the Educational Institutions may be kept open to celebrate 3rd IDY on 21st June 2017 and Action Plan may be uploaded on yoga.ayush.gov.in – Yoga Portal of Ministry of AYUSH. Accordingly, the communication has been sent to all concerned for appropriate action. Furthermore, HRD Ministry has requested all Higher Educational Institutions to provide a flash message about International Day of Yoga, 2017 hyperlinked to the Yoga Portal.

MHRD is planning to organize Lectures on Yoga on 3rd IDY to create a conducive ambience among the employees through Yoga exercises, and Celebration of IDY, 2017 has been publicized widely which will infuse Yoga at a wider scale among the employees of the Ministry.