Chandigarh, June 21 (IANS) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Sunday made several announcements aimed at transforming yoga into a mass movement and encouraging healthy, balanced lifestyles among students and youth.

On the occasion of the 12th International Yoga Day, the Chief Minister announced that yoga education will be introduced in the curriculum for students from Class III to IX from the next academic session.

This initiative is expected to contribute to the physical, mental and emotional development of students while instilling healthy habits from an early age.

The Chief Minister further announced that, to promote yoga and yoga education on a sustained basis across schools in the state, specialised training in yoga asanas will be imparted to all PTIs, DPEd teachers, PGTs and designated PRTs.

This initiative will ensure that students in every school are able to practise yoga regularly under trained guidance.

He also announced that questions related to yoga will be made a mandatory component of all examinations conducted by the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) and the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC).

Necessary amendments to the examination policy will be introduced to implement this provision.

In another major announcement, the Chief Minister said that a state-level Institute of Naturopathy and Yoga will be established in Morni in Panchkula district, where undergraduate-level courses in these disciplines will be offered.

He said yoga will be incorporated as a key component in the five centres of excellence being established across various universities in the state, thereby strengthening yoga education, training, research and innovation within the higher education system.

To institutionalise the promotion of yoga, the Chief Minister announced that the Sports Departments of all higher education institutions will be renamed as Departments of Sports and Yoga, ensuring yoga receives due recognition and a prominent place within academic institutions.

He said ‘yogasana’ will be included as a sports discipline under the state’s sports policy, and the necessary amendments to the policy will be made to facilitate its implementation.

–IANS

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