After the University Grants Commission and the All India Council for Technical Education, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Thursday joined the International Yoga Day bandwagon by writing to affiliated schools to organise events on June 21 between 7 a.m. and 7.35 a.m.
However, with the day falling right in the middle of summer vacations, many schools plan to ignore the letter. The letter refers to the United Nations General Assembly decision to declare June 21 as International Yoga Day and says that in view of the “momentous’’ occasion, “you are requested to conduct these activities of Yoga” at the stipulated time. As always, the schools have been asked to submit a report on the activities and their photographs to CBSE.
Though many Delhi schools are yet to receive the CBSE’s letter, some of them have still decided to conduct a session in order to celebrate the day and teach the importance of yoga to their students. Some others have decided against it keeping in mind the vacations. The schools which plan to hold the yoga session have decided not to disturb the students who are on vacation and instead enlist the participation of those who come for summer camps or sports training in the morning.
Bal Bharti Public School principal L.V. Sehgal said: “We have decided to conduct the yoga session on June 21 and to teach the importance of yoga to our students. We will conduct this session with students who come to the school for sports practice in the morning.”
“Children need their own time. It is not appropriate to call them in the middle of vacations,” says Springdales School principal Ameeta Wattal.
With Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself planning to lead a mega yoga event in Rajpath on June 21, government is keen to ensure widest participation in the hope of getting it a Guinness Book of World Records entry as the largest yoga demonstration at a single venue and also generate interest in this spiritual discipline.
