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We obsess over academic rankings, demographic dividend, digital transformation, AI… and, yet, we ignore a far more urgent issue – decline in student motivation. Attendance rates in classrooms are dropping. Teachers are struggling to hold the attention of distracted learners who are more connected to screens than to their surroundings. Without addressing this crisis, we are failing an entire generation. We need to build physical vitality to develop intellectual sharpness.
Studies have shown that physical activity stimulates neurogenesis, sharpens focus and enhances memory retention. In the 1950s, the US launched the Presidential Fitness Test, a nationwide initiative for instilling physical discipline and fitness in schoolchildren. It was a response to growing concerns about the physical and mental unpreparedness of young Americans. The same argument must now be made for undergraduate education in India, where physical education has been treated as a non-essential, secondary subject.
The link between physical activity and mental health is an established fact. Anxiety, depression and attention disorders are at an all-time high among college students, fuelled by sedentary lifestyles and relentless digital consumption. A structured physical curriculum can serve as a potent countermeasure, not just to calm restless minds but to cultivate focus, discipline and resilience.
Recent studies show that regular physical activity is as effective as medication for mild-to-moderate depression. Aerobic exercise enhances attention, emotional regulation and psychological stability. Physical activity can also mitigate substance abuse by releasing dopamine and reducing stress, two critical factors in addiction.
India’s youth are more digitally connected than ever before. This hyper-connectivity has come at a steep cost – loneliness, and erosion of essential life skills like communication, teamwork and leadership. Physical hobbies and team sports are natural incubators for these skills, pushing students to face real-world challenges.
Yet, as educators and regulators, we have collectively decided that such life skills are expendable, as if the only goal of higher education is to produce job-worthy coders and analysts. It’s time to reclaim physical education as a crucible for character and leadership development.
Consequences of neglecting physical education are not just psychological. They are physical. Do a full-body test of an 18-year-old today and you will see adverse reports. Low levels of vitamin D and B12 and iron are common. Lifestyle diseases like diabetes and obesity are reaching high proportions among young adults. We are producing graduates who may be academically accomplished, but are physically weak, mentally fragile and emotionally disconnected. We cannot profess lofty national goals and continue to churn out degrees, while ignoring the fundamental health and fitness of our youth.
As AI and automation increasingly absorb cognitive tasks, value of human physicality and grit is poised for a resurgence. That is where we may continue to have an edge over machines. The future will not belong to the best coders. That is a job machines are increasingly getting better at. The future will belong to those who can excel in the physical world, a realm machines are yet to conquer.
Developing physical competencies and skills – with the ability to face the heat and dust – is not just a nostalgic nod to the past. It’s a strategic need for a world in flux.
Lecture-based teaching is outdated. The future of education is becoming increasingly experiential. Internships will be longer. Projects will be more physically demanding. Learning outcomes will be more tangible. To prepare our youth for this evolving educational model, we must first condition their bodies and minds to withstand rigours of real-world learning.
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of www.economictimes.com.)
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