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At
the national level, National Sports Policy of 1984 is till being in
operation. Of late, the Government of India felt that even though the
National Sports Policy of 1984 is quite comprehensive in its coverage
and encompasses all aspects of promotion sports in the country,
practical implementation of the same is left much to be desired and
goals and objectives as laid down in the Policy Statement are also yet
to be fully realized. The Government of India, has, therefore, taken
step for reformulation National Sports Policy in more concrete terms
spelling out specific measures required to be taken by the various
concerned agencies involved in promotion sports in the country. Draft
National Sports Policy has already been circulated which is expected to
be adopted very soon.
While
the national scenario for the Sports Policy is as such, at the State
level, there is hardly one or two States who have embarked upon
formulation own State Policy keeping in line with the National Sports
Policy. One of the States being Manipur in the North-East.
A
question may arise in the minds of sports loving people as to what the
Sport Policy has got bearing with their activities. Normally, when there
is no Sports Policy in one or other States, there is hardly any
complaint about non-adoption of Sports Policy specially when those
States are excelling in the promotion of sports activities.
Sports
subject is in the State lest and therefore, it enjoys constitutional
responsibility on the States to ensure and formulate proper policy for
promotion and furtherance of the sports activities in a particular
State. This is also
required specially when the State is in the process of having some
policies and programmes for the development of games and sports. Such
policies and programmes should always be codified and spelt out in a
concrete terms so that at any given time, there may not be any confusion
of complexity as to the spirit of the codified policies. Sometimes it
also happens that in absence of any sound policy there so hardly any
direction in which the administration should proceed for achieving any
desired goal.
Sports
has got its origin long long ago even before invention of modern age.
Even today in the interior areas we find that traditional tribal sports
are still in operation. In fact for the aboriginal tribals, sport was a way of life.
The earlier rulers in the country also sometimes, out of their fanciful
ideas used to advocate for development of particular sport and at their
behest such sport culture was grown.
If
we look back, in our country also the importance of physical education
was recogniesed by the imperial Government in 1904. Even after
Independence, Governments have also continued to emphasise and give
thrust for the development of physical education and games and sports in
the country. In 1993, central Advisory Board of Education had set up a
committee under the chairmanship of Mr. K P Singh Deo regarding physical
education and sports. The committee inter-alias has recommended that
physical education at school level should be practiced more determinedly
and also it should be ensured that both students and teachers should
keep their body fit and everyday at least there should be a class for
physical education for 40 minutes. It was also emphasized that the
teachers at the primary level should also be trained and even if there
is no field in a school, some physical exercises, like PT, Yoga etc,
which do not require a big field should be practiced in classes so that
all the students should be associated with it. If required, some fees
should also be levied and for the outstanding sports students, leave of
absence, weighted in the examination, incentives etc. should be thought
of.
In
Tripura also at the school level we have compulsory physical education
and till now on has to pass in the physical education paper, which is
clubbed with other subjects in order to be declared as passed in the
Madhyamik Standard. Though it is a fact that the subject is being
treated as compulsory one but the fact remains that all the students of
schools are still hardly being found to have been associated in the
physical education and games and sports activities. In order to ensure
that not only mass participation programme is to be taken up but also
there has been concerted effort from all concerned to make it as a
people’s programme where not only the students will participate but
also their guardians and school authorities will also contribute for
furtherance in this arena.
Here
in the State, a lot of emphasis is being given now to take physical
activities along with games and ports in school level in real terms and
for that already the State Government have almost provided Physical
Instructors at Senior Basic School level. With the development of play
fields, supply of sports goods and coaching programme for the spotted
talents are also being made on a sustained basis. Special attention is
also being given for the promotion of Yoga, Bratachari, Bharatiyam,
Scouts and Guides programmes to make the students not only acquainted
with such traditional activities but also keep them engaged in various
activities to make their lives disciplined and successful one.
For
ensuring such an all round developmental programmes for the physical
education and games and sports in the State, it is being also felt that
there should be a sound and transparent sports policy based on which all
concerned may perform definite roles so that not only we can ensure that
our children get the best of the physical education but also talented
sports persons can be converted into a real sport person of notable
stretcher so that they can excel in their areas or disciplines to get
glories not only for them but also for the State.
The
State Government in the Department of Youth Affairs and Sports have
already thought in terms of adoption such a sound and transparent sports
policy and with that end in view have already organized one seminar-cum-
workshop on the subject ‘Compulsory Physical Education in School
Level-Formulation of Policies and Actions’ at Agartala on 21-22 April,
1997. Amongst delegates, experts in physical education and sports,
renowned former and present players, Coaches and Physical Instructors,
representatives of Schools, representatives of various sports
Associations, Medical Officers on Sports Medicine, Departmental
Officers, Members of Press and other media were there. The participants
deliberated for two days extensively on the subject and came out with
their recommendations on various matters, like compulsory physical
education-formulation of syllabus at school level, formulation of State
policy on sports and youth affairs, scientific and systematic coaching
on long term basis-accounting of talents-nursing the talents, providing
sports equipments, to provide equated infrastructural facilities of
promotion of games and sports arrangements of funds, present status on
the Youth Affairs activities. All the recommendations of the various
Sub-Committees are being analysed and examined in the Government so that
a definite and realistic sports and youth affairs policy for the State
can be taken up. If such a realistic policy ca be adopted which will
take care for the mass participation in sports specially in the rural
areas along with competitive system at the schools and rural level
tournaments so that proper talents can be spotted and to groom them up
for becoming a highly proficient sports person, but also it can give
thrust for creation of proper sports infrastructure, to provide
incentive for the sports persons who have excellence, to arrange more
participation at State level and national level, to define role of
various State Sports Associations and Tripura Sports Council, to
identify for specific area games, to provide and strengthen the coaching
and training, to provide for welfare schemes for the distressed sports
person, to arrange for modern and scientific equipments to encourage
youth in adventurous activities, to provide for more national
integration activities, to promote mutual understanding between the
various tribes, to integrate various youth developmental activities,
etc.
Tripura
is the smallest State in respect of area in the Northsss-East and second
in respect of population with a mixture of tribals and non-tribals.
Mixed population pattern has got both advantages and disadvantages. The
advantages need to be exploited for the promotion of sports in the
State. Tripura is a State, full of life and energy and has got vibrant
society where it should be possible to get some definite targets for
achieving in the near future. Tripura, in general, has a rich tradition
of producing quite a good number of national and international players
in Gymnastic, Swimming and other disciplines. There is no dearth pf
quality and prospect specially with the tribal population and if they
can be transformed and make them involved in the physical education and
games and sports activities, it is definite that they will change their
attitude, level of status, level of ambition. This will also make them
bold and man of positive person, ready to take up any challenge and join
hands in any venture, which will make them, friendlier to the neighbors,
and they will be no more hostile to outsiders.
With
the above back drip, Tripura has got a very bright future in the sports
scenario of the country provided all concerned gets together in giving
definite shape to the destiny of the sports persons of the State by
evolving a very sound, effective and more friendly State Sports Policy
which will definitely go a long way for achieving more and more laurels
for the State and its people.
By
M S Bhattacharjee,
Ex. Director, Sports Department |
