Context:
Recently, the Union Cabinet approved the National Sports Policy (NSP) 2025, aimed at reshaping the country’s sporting landscape and empowering citizens through sports.
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- NSP 2025 replaces the 2001 policy and outlines a strategic vision to make India a global sports leader, aiming for strong performance at events like the 2036 Olympics.
- It was shaped through wide consultations with ministries, states, sports bodies, athletes, experts, and the public.
National Sports Policy 2025
- Excellence on the Global Stage: This pillar aims to:
- Strengthen sports from grassroots to elite levels through early talent identification, training, and holistic athlete support.
- Expand infrastructure in rural and urban areas, promote leagues, and improve sports governance.
- Boost performance with sports science and technology, and build capacity of coaches, officials, and support staff.
- Sports for Economic Development: It recognizes the economic potential of sports and seeks to:
- Promoting sports tourism and hosting global events.
- Boosting sports manufacturing, startups, and entrepreneurship.
- Encouraging private investment via PPPs, CSR, and innovative funding.
- Sports for Social Development: The policy highlights sports as a tool for social inclusion by:
- Encouraging participation from women, marginalized groups, and persons with disabilities.
- Reviving traditional games.
- Promoting sports as a career through education and dual pathways.
- Engaging the Indian diaspora in sports.
- Sports as a People’s Movement: The policy aims to:
- Drive mass participation and a culture of fitness through nationwide campaigns and community-based events.
- Launch fitness indices for schools, colleges, and workplaces, etc.
- Enhance universal access to sports facilities.
- Integration with Education (NEP 2020): In alignment with the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020), the NSP 2025 proposes to:
- Integrate sports into school curricula.
- Equip educators and physical education teachers with specialized training to promote sports education and awareness.
- Strategic Framework: To achieve its goals, NSP 2025 outlines a comprehensive strategy:
- Governance: Set up a strong legal and regulatory framework.
- Private Sector: Encourage PPPs, CSR, and innovative financing.
- Technology: Use AI and data analytics for performance and implementation.
- Monitoring: Establish a national framework with clear KPIs and targets.
- State Alignment: Act as a model for states to align their policies.
- Whole-of-Government: Integrate sports promotion across all ministries and programs.