The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Ministry of Education and UNESCO on Wednesday exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday to promote clean sport values in classrooms across India through the ‘Sports Values in Every Classroom Toolkit’.
Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya and Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi reaffirmed the need to integrate sports and education, as highlighted in the Khelo Bharat Niti 2025, during the exchange at the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) India’s Clean Sport Conclave in Delhi.
The initiative aims to embed values such as respect, integrity and fairness among children through education, sports and everyday classroom activities. The toolkit’s video modules will be made available in 13 Indian languages to reach students across the country and help build a stronger, fairer sporting ecosystem, according to a press release by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
Director of UNESCO’s Regional Office for South Asia Dr. Tim Curtis, Secretary, Department of School Education, Ministry of Education, TK Anil Kumar, Secretary, Sports, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Hari Ranjan Rao, and DG NADA Anant Kumar attended the conclave. International delegates who attended the statutory meetings of the UNESCO anti-doping conventions on Tuesday were also present. Indian international javelin thrower Sachin Yadav participated in the conclave.
Mandaviya Calls for Sporting Excellence and Integrity
Dr. Mandaviya appreciated the collaboration with the Ministry of Education, stating that it reflected the Government of India’s commitment to bringing sports and education together in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision.
“Sporting excellence and sporting integrity must go hand in hand. Talent, discipline and hard work are essential for sporting success, but integrity, fairness and credibility are equally important,” the Sports Minister said, highlighting the need to strengthen clean sport awareness alongside India’s growing sporting ambitions.
He also referred to India’s fourth-place finishes at the Asian Games and Asian Para Games, respectively, reflecting the growing strength and ambition of Indian sport. However, he said doping remained a serious concern that required sustained efforts in education, prevention, testing and enforcement.
“During 2025–26, the National Anti-Doping Agency of India conducted over 7,000 tests and more than 350 education and awareness sessions, reaching 27,000 participants,” Dr. Mandaviya said.
He added that supplement testing facilities at National Forensic Sciences University, Gandhinagar, and the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, helped prevent cases of inadvertent doping. Investigations within NADA would also be strengthened in line with global practices.
“The National Anti-Doping Act came into force this year and the government is also preparing to bring provisions for the criminalisation of doping-related activities before Parliament,” he said.
Joshi Highlights Need to Bridge Education-Sports Gap
Pralhad Joshi said the MoU would help address the longstanding gap between education and sports. He observed that students who performed well academically did not always participate in sports and emphasised the need to strengthen grassroots opportunities and create better pathways for young athletes.
“This MoU is an important step towards strengthening the connection between education and sports, which has been missing for a long time. Through this initiative, we are working to ensure that sports values become an integral part of every child’s educational experience,” Joshi said.
He welcomed the initiative to educate children about clean sport and its associated values, emphasising that these principles should extend beyond classrooms and reach every section of society.
“By integrating sports values into education, we can help nurture responsible citizens and build a culture of fairness and integrity from an early age,” he said.
UNESCO Sees Potential to Reach Millions of Young People
Dr. Tim Curtis described the MoU as a new chapter in UNESCO’s partnership with India, with the potential to reach millions of young people and provide a model for other countries.
“Every child in the classroom can learn what it means to play by the rules. Through this toolkit, we are bringing three fundamental values into education and sport: respect, integrity and fairness,” Curtis said.
He highlighted the role of teachers in translating these values into everyday practice and said the toolkit offered ideas and practical resources to support them.
“The real test of these values is whether children play fairly even when nobody is watching. That is the kind of integrity we want to nurture from an early age,” he added.
-PIB inputs
