LUCKNOW, July 4 -- With a view to promoting holistic development of students in alignment with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) on Tuesday announced the launch of "Active CISCE", an initiative that emphasises importance of physical activity in a child's overall well-being. "Through this initiative, the Council seeks to transform school campuses into vibrant centres for fitness and sports, encouraging students to lead healthier, more balanced lives while supporting their academic growth. The programme aims to integrate physical fitness and sports assessment for every student in CISCE-affiliated schools, with objectives to assess physical fitness parameters of every student, nurture and develop sporting skills," said Joseph Emmanuel, the council's chief executive and secretary on Tuesday. "Other objectives are: To make physical fitness activities a routine part of students' lives, promote happiness, health, and positivity among students. Provide vertical mobility in sports to talented students through CISCE sports competitions, mandate curriculum-integrated physical activities and assessments to promote not just physical health but also socio-emotional and cognitive growth for all school students," he added. As part of the initiative, schools will be required to ensure that all students from Classes I to 12 are registered on the CISCE physical health and fitness assessment web portal which will be launched on July 15. The portal will feature grade and age-specific test modules, video tutorials for assessment and self-assessment, video tutorials to improve fitness and real-time synchronisation with school dashboards, according to a circular issued by the council. Each registered student will receive an online CISCE physical health and fitness assessment report card. This comprehensive report will include a baseline fitness score, progress tracking across academic years, lifestyle indicators, sports skill badges, health and lifestyle inputs (diets, screen time, and sleep) and will also allow for early talent identification," he said. The CISCE will conduct training programmes (both offline and online) for physical education and sports teachers to ensure they are well-equipped to implement the initiative. Schools will be provided with a downloadable Excel template that will allow them to upload data easily. Physical education teachers will upload each student's physical fitness and activity data based on continuous observations and participation throughout the academic year. To support the implementation of the initiative, a nominal annual fee of Rs.100 per student will be introduced, payable through the CAREERS portal by the school at the time of student registration. "Schools are requested to complete the registration process for all students by September 30, 2025. As open spaces become increasingly scarce, schools serve as essential and secure environments where children can engage in physical activity," Emmanuel said. Since CISCE is following data integration, the registration of students in Classes IX and XI and the "Confirmation Of Entries" for the ICSE and ISC examinations will be accepted by the system only after successful registration and data submission for all students from Classes I to X (for schools with only ICSE) and Classes I to XII (for schools up to ISC) for the CISCE physical health and sports assessment. "The detailed class wise curriculum/guidelines along with the user manual will be sent to all CISCE schools in due course. We believe that "Active CISCE" will be instrumental in developing well-rounded individuals who excel academically and in physical fitness," he added....