NEP Reforms to Boost Sports and Academics Together, Says Pradhan; Links Vision to India's 2036 Olympics Ambition

Education Minister outlines roadmap to integrate sports with academics through credit-based recognition, Apaar IDs, and IIT quotas as India eyes the 2036 Olympics and Viksit Bharat 2047 goals.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has said that the National Education Policy (NEP) is transforming the way sports and education interact in India, with new measures aimed at ensuring that student-athletes can excel in both academics and competitive sports.

During a visit to Bhopal, Pradhan highlighted that the NEP is the first education policy in the country to systematically integrate sports and physical education into mainstream academic frameworks. He said the reforms would provide formal recognition to students' sporting achievements through credit-based academic systems and digital records linked to Apaar IDs.

According to the minister, athletic participation will increasingly contribute to students' academic progression, helping remove the long-standing divide between classroom learning and sports training. He also pointed to the introduction of sports quotas in the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), which would enable talented athletes to pursue higher education without compromising their sporting careers.

Pradhan linked these reforms to India's broader developmental ambitions, describing the proposed hosting of the 2036 Olympics as a significant milestone in the country's long-term growth trajectory. He said the Olympics vision aligns with India's aspiration of becoming a developed nation by 2047, the centenary year of Independence.

"The integration of education, skills and sports is essential for building a self-reliant India," he said, outlining a 20-year roadmap that combines talent development, academic excellence and sporting achievement.

During his visit, the minister toured the Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Academy along with state Sports Minister Vishwas Sarang, where he interacted with athletes, coaches and officials. He reviewed the academy's training infrastructure and discussed ways to strengthen sports ecosystems through education reforms.

Pradhan also met Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav to review the implementation of NEP initiatives, skill development programmes and digital learning projects in the state. He commended Madhya Pradesh for its efforts in higher education innovation.

The minister's visit also included participation in a Swachh Bharat cleanliness drive at Nageshwar Temple, where he called for greater public involvement in maintaining cleanliness and civic responsibility, reflecting the government's emphasis on citizen participation alongside educational and developmental reforms.