The mental development, including the power of reasoning and vocational specialization, of course, comes from the academics. It, therefore, becomes imperative that education should result in the mental, moral and physical development of a student.
But no one can deny that, unfortunately, the present-day system of education lays too much stress on mental development, pays only lip sympathy to moral enrichment and completely neglects physical well-being of a student. The over-all result is the coming up of hordes of graduates, post¬graduates and diversified professionals with frail body and poor physique.
For an all-round development of a child, the curriculum should include sports and games and health education. Sufficient amount of school time should be devoted to Sports and Physical Training.
It is heartening to note that in order to rectify the past mistake, the C.B.S.E. and most other Boards of Education in many states have made the Sports Education a compulsory subject up to the + 2 level. But the irony is that the subject has yet to get due seriousness and importance in practice.
Sports Education needs to be introduced with all earnestness, because mental and moral development is just not possible without physical development. We must remember that ‘a sound mind dwells only in a sound body’. A strong and healthy student will, in the long run, surpass the pale, sickly, scholar who is merely a bookworm.
A healthy and strong body is not possible without sports. The development of body is very essential in life. All our physical enjoyments, and to some extent, even mental enjoyments, depend upon our body. All our degrees and achievements will be of no use