Sports Instructor shortage hinders physical education

On the occasion of International Yoga Day, a significant shortage of sports instructors and physical education teachers in government schools in Uttar Pradesh has raised concerns about the adequate provision of physical education for children. Despite the state’s enthusiastic promotion of yoga, the education department claims a lack of budget for recruiting sports instructors, leaving aspiring candidates in limbo.
In 2016, the government announced the recruitment of 32,022 positions for physical education and sports instructors in primary schools. However, due to the Assembly elections and subsequent Model Code of Conduct, the process was delayed. After the formation of a new government in March 2017, the recruitment process seemed to progress smoothly, with counselling schedules released and appointments planned for April 12. Unfortunately, a stay was imposed on the appointments in March 2017, purportedly for reviewing the recruitments, leading aspirants to navigate a series of legal battles since then.
Despite an Allahabad High Court order in April 2018, mandating the completion of the recruitment process within two months, the Education Department filed a review petition. The department further escalated the matter to the Supreme Court, leaving aspiring sports instructors in a state of uncertainty. Shockingly, the government’s response to the issue claims a lack of budget for recruitment in the department, despite substantial expenditure on the promotion of yoga.
The scarcity of sports instructors and physical education teachers in government schools has persisted since 2013-14, hindering children’s access to mandatory physical education. With the absence of any recruitment of physical education teachers for primary and upper primary schools in the past six years, the demand for more than 32,000 sports teachers in the state remains unmet.
This shortage raises concerns regarding who will teach yoga and foster physical education for children in government schools. While yoga is being recognized for its numerous benefits, including holistic development, the situation in Uttar Pradesh paints a different picture.