New Delhi, Jan 11: The former captain of the Indian football team, Bhaichung Bhutia, has advocated for a significant reform in the nation’s education system, highlighting the importance of implementing a sports-centric curriculum to cultivate future champions.
During his remarks at the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue and National Youth Festival, Bhutia voiced his concerns regarding India’s education policies that favor academics over sports, thereby constraining the nation’s capacity to nurture elite athletes.
“Among all discussions on enhancing sports, I firmly believe we must partner with the education ministry to ensure our educational framework robustly supports sports policies,” Bhutia shared with PTI Videos in an exclusive discussion on the event’s sidelines on Saturday.
“Currently, the focus is predominantly on academics, pushing every child toward careers as doctors or engineers. To foster world champions, we need a system that embraces sports more thoroughly,” he asserted.
He underlined the necessity for collaboration between the education and youth affairs and sports ministries to overhaul the academic curriculum.
“The sports and education ministers should convene and discuss this matter to guarantee that sports becomes a core subject within the curriculum,” he emphasized.
Sports minister Mansukh Mandaviya officially inaugurated the festival.
Bhutia also commended the government’s initiative in organizing this event.
“This is an excellent initiative by the Government of India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji’s leadership regarding Viksit Bharat, and I appreciated discussing how to advance sports in our country,” Bhutia remarked.
The festival, taking place at Bharat Mandapam, has gathered over 3,000 young leaders from all over India for thematic dialogues and creative contests. (PTI)
