All Work And No Play: 62% Gov Schools Lack Playgrounds, Indian Sports Suffers
As Tokyo becomes the playground of the world during the Olympics 2021, India’s own sporting situation and performance remain fragile. India has managed to secure only two medals in Tokyo so far and its Olympics ranking stands at 63. Of the two medals, one is a Silver in weightlifting and the other is a Bronze in Badminton.
India’s Silver medallist in Tokyo, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu hails from Nongpok Kakching in Manipur, situated 30 km off the State capital Imphal. The majority of Manipur’s schools do not have playgrounds. Thus, most Olympians who belong to economically weak homes are unable to access high-quality sports and training facilities. Mirabai Chanu is a living example and product of this dismal scenario.
The All-India School Education Survey (2016) investigated how many schools have a playground on their premises. This survey, last conducted in 2016, revealed that only 39% of government schools in the country have a playground. Which leaves well over half of all government schools, i.e., 62%, without one. Private schools fared slightly better with 48% including a playground within the campus.
In March 2020, a parliamentary panel on education presented a report which found that until 2018, two out of three schools in Odisha did not have a playground. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik has been sponsoring the Men’s and Women’s Indian Hockey Team even after they have been performing relatively well, while schools under his watch continue to languish without proper sporting facilities.
CM Patnaik has been sponsoring both teams since 2018 and his government has allocated ₹150 crore for them. According to the Parliamentary Report, southern states fare better when it comes to playgrounds in schools. For instance, Tamil Nadu has playgrounds in 71% of schools.
India’s overall tally since its first Olympic appearance 121 years ago in 1900 has been 30 medals, consisting of 9 Gold, 8 Silver, and 13 Bronze medals. All these were won in the Summer Olympics. And despite 2021 being an Olympics year, the Central Government slashed the sports budget by 8.16%.
This February, the budgetary allocation for sports stood at ₹2,596.14 crore, which is ₹230.78 cr. lesser than last year’s Budget.
The Sports Authority of India has been granted ₹660.41 crore, which is ₹500 crore more than the allocation it received last year. The Ministry of Sports’ flagship scheme ‘Khelo India’ saw a reduction of ₹232.71 crore from ₹890.42 crore last year to ₹657.71 crore in 2020-21.
Put simply, India’s performance in the sporting world can be improved to its full potential firstly by providing basic facilities like playgrounds in schools, bolstered by increased investment and budgetary allocation for sports. India needs to comprehensively overhaul its sporting infrastructure to shine on the world stage.
As Tokyo becomes the playground of the world during the Olympics 2021, India’s own sporting situation and performance remain fragile. India has managed to secure only two medals in Tokyo so far and its Olympics ranking stands at 63. Of the two medals, one is a Silver in weightlifting and the other is a Bronze in Badminton.
India’s Silver medallist in Tokyo, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu hails from Nongpok Kakching in Manipur, situated 30 km off the State capital Imphal. The majority of Manipur’s schools do not have playgrounds. Thus, most Olympians who belong to economically weak homes are unable to access high-quality sports and training facilities. Mirabai Chanu is a living example and product of this dismal scenario.
The All-India School Education Survey (2016) investigated how many schools have a playground on their premises. This survey, last conducted in 2016, revealed that only 39% of government schools in the country have a playground. Which leaves well over half of all government schools, i.e., 62%, without one. Private schools fared slightly better with 48% including a playground within the campus.
In March 2020, a parliamentary panel on education presented a report which found that until 2018, two out of three schools in Odisha did not have a playground. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik has been sponsoring the Men’s and Women’s Indian Hockey Team even after they have been performing relatively well, while schools under his watch continue to languish without proper sporting facilities.
CM Patnaik has been sponsoring both teams since 2018 and his government has allocated ₹150 crore for them. According to the Parliamentary Report, southern states fare better when it comes to playgrounds in schools. For instance, Tamil Nadu has playgrounds in 71% of schools.
India’s overall tally since its first Olympic appearance 121 years ago in 1900 has been 30 medals, consisting of 9 Gold, 8 Silver, and 13 Bronze medals. All these were won in the Summer Olympics. And despite 2021 being an Olympics year, the Central Government slashed the sports budget by 8.16%.
This February, the budgetary allocation for sports stood at ₹2,596.14 crore, which is ₹230.78 cr. lesser than last year’s Budget.
.jpeg)
The Sports Auhority of India has been granted ₹660.41 crore, which is ₹500 crore more than the allocation it received last year. The Ministry of Sports’ flagship scheme ‘Khelo India’ saw a reduction of ₹232.71 crore from ₹890.42 crore last year to ₹657.71 crore in 2020-21.
Put simply, India’s performance in the sporting world can be improved to its full potential firstly by providing basic facilities like playgrounds in schools, bolstered by increased investment and budgetary allocation for sports. India needs to comprehensively overhaul its sporting infrastructure to shine on the world stage.
The All-India School Education Survey (2016) investigated how many schools have a playground on their premises. This survey, last conducted in 2016, revealed that only 39% of government schools in the country have a playground. Which leaves well over half of all government schools, i.e., 62%, without one. Private schools fared slightly better with 48% including a playground within the campus.
In March 2020, a parliamentary panel on education presented a report which found that until 2018, two out of three schools in Odisha did not have a playground. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik has been sponsoring the Men’s and Women’s Indian Hockey Team even after they have been performing relatively well, while schools under his watch continue to languish without proper sporting facilities.
CM Patnaik has been sponsoring both teams since 2018 and his government has allocated ₹150 crore for them. According to the Parliamentary Report, southern states fare better when it comes to playgrounds in schools. For instance, Tamil Nadu has playgrounds in 71% of schools.
India’s overall tally since its first Olympic appearance 121 years ago in 1900 has been 30 medals, consisting of 9 Gold, 8 Silver, and 13 Bronze medals. All these were won in the Summer Olympics. And despite 2021 being an Olympics year, the Central Government slashed the sports budget by 8.16%.
This February, the budgetary allocation for sports stood at ₹2,596.14 crore, which is ₹230.78 cr. lesser than last year’s Budget.
The Sports Authority of India has been granted ₹660.41 crore, which is ₹500 crore more than the allocation it received last year. The Ministry of Sports’ flagship scheme ‘Khelo India’ saw a reduction of ₹232.71 crore from ₹890.42 crore last year to ₹657.71 crore in 2020-21.
Put simply, India’s performance in the sporting world can be improved to its full potential firstly by providing basic facilities like playgrounds in schools, bolstered by increased investment and budgetary allocation for sports. India needs to comprehensively overhaul its sporting infrastructure to shine on the world stage.
As Tokyo becomes the playground of the world during the Olympics 2021, India’s own sporting situation and performance remain fragile. India has managed to secure only two medals in Tokyo so far and its Olympics ranking stands at 63. Of the two medals, one is a Silver in weightlifting and the other is a Bronze in Badminton.
India’s Silver medallist in Tokyo, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu hails from Nongpok Kakching in Manipur, situated 30 km off the State capital Imphal. The majority of Manipur’s schools do not have playgrounds. Thus, most Olympians who belong to economically weak homes are unable to access high-quality sports and training facilities. Mirabai Chanu is a living example and product of this dismal scenario.
The All-India School Education Survey (2016) investigated how many schools have a playground on their premises. This survey, last conducted in 2016, revealed that only 39% of government schools in the country have a playground. Which leaves well over half of all government schools, i.e., 62%, without one. Private schools fared slightly better with 48% including a playground within the campus.
In March 2020, a parliamentary panel on education presented a report which found that until 2018, two out of three schools in Odisha did not have a playground. Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik has been sponsoring the Men’s and Women’s Indian Hockey Team even after they have been performing relatively well, while schools under his watch continue to languish without proper sporting facilities.
CM Patnaik has been sponsoring both teams since 2018 and his government has allocated ₹150 crore for them. According to the Parliamentary Report, southern states fare better when it comes to playgrounds in schools. For instance, Tamil Nadu has playgrounds in 71% of schools.
India’s overall tally since its first Olympic appearance 121 years ago in 1900 has been 30 medals, consisting of 9 Gold, 8 Silver, and 13 Bronze medals. All these were won in the Summer Olympics. And despite 2021 being an Olympics year, the Central Government slashed the sports budget by 8.16%.
This February, the budgetary allocation for sports stood at ₹2,596.14 crore, which is ₹230.78 cr. lesser than last year’s Budget.
The Sports Auhority of India has been granted ₹660.41 crore, which is ₹500 crore more than the allocation it received last year. The Ministry of Sports’ flagship scheme ‘Khelo India’ saw a reduction of ₹232.71 crore from ₹890.42 crore last year to ₹657.71 crore in 2020-21.
Put simply, India’s performance in the sporting world can be improved to its full potential firstly by providing basic facilities like playgrounds in schools, bolstered by increased investment and budgetary allocation for sports. India needs to comprehensively overhaul its sporting infrastructure to shine on the world stage.
Latest Videos
