PANCHKULA (Balwinder Singh): Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini marked the 12th International Yoga Day by announcing a comprehensive strategy to institutionalize yoga, establishing it as a mass movement integrated into the academic and professional development of the state’s youth. Speaking at the state-level Yoga Day celebrations, Saini stated that yoga education will be formally introduced into the school curriculum for classes 3 to 9 starting from the upcoming academic session to foster physical, mental, and emotional well-being among students.
To ensure the effective execution of this program, the state government will provide specialized yogasana training to all Physical Training Instructors, Diploma in Physical Education holders, Post Graduate Teachers, and designated Primary Teachers across educational institutions. In a significant policy shift, the Chief Minister also announced that the Haryana Staff Selection Commission and Haryana Public Service Commission will now include mandatory yoga-related questions in all competitive recruitment examinations, with necessary amendments to be introduced into the examination guidelines shortly.
Further expanding the infrastructure for traditional wellness, Saini declared that a state-level institute for naturopathy and yoga will be established in Morni, which will offer undergraduate degree programmes. Additionally, yoga will be integrated into the five upcoming Centers of Excellence at various state universities to drive research and innovation, while the sports departments of all higher education institutions will be renamed the Department of Sports and Yoga. The government also plans to formally recognize yogasana as a sports discipline under the state sports policy and incorporate elements of Ayurveda into the yoga curriculum. Alongside these health initiatives, the Chief Minister directed that the collective singing of the State Anthem be made mandatory during daily morning assemblies in all government schools to foster discipline, cultural values, and national consciousness among students.
