Reimagining school physical education through the lens of physical literacy: Bridging National Education Policy and National Sports Policy

Authors

  • Awadhesh Kumar Shirotriya Assistant Professor, Grade-III, Amity School of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Amity University, Noida (Uttar Pradesh), India
  • Aaron Beighle Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion, University of Kentucky, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.60081/SSHA.04.01.2026.573-578
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Keywords:

  • New Education Policy,
  • New Sports Policy,
  • National curriculum framewok,
  • Physical Activity

Abstract

India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2023 signal a transformative moment for schools by emphasizing holistic development, wellness, and experiential learning. Yet physical education (PE) remains marginalized, unevenly implemented, and often limited to sport or drill. This paper argues that Physical Literacy (PL) defined as the integrated development of motivation, confidence, competence, knowledge, and understanding to engage in PA for life, offers a robust framework to reposition PE in India’s evolving education landscape. Drawing on global scholarship and emerging Indian research, we contend that PL provides a unifying language across education, health, and community initiatives while substantiating PE as an essential academic subject. The paper reviews the current literature on PE and PL in India and globally, and provides practical strategies for policymakers, educators, and researchers to chart a way forward. Ultimately, PL offers India a culturally adaptable pathway to equitable, lifelong engagement in PA.

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Author Biographies

  • Awadhesh Kumar Shirotriya, Assistant Professor, Grade-III, Amity School of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Amity University, Noida (Uttar Pradesh), India

    aks144@gmail.com

  • Aaron Beighle, Professor, Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion, University of Kentucky, USA

    aaron.beighle@uky.edu

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Published

2026-06-30

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 01 (2026): January to June, 2026

Section

Editorial

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Copyright (c) 2026 Awadhesh Kumar Shirotriya, Aaron Beighle

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Awadhesh Kumar Shirotriya, & Aaron Beighle. (2026). Reimagining school physical education through the lens of physical literacy: Bridging National Education Policy and National Sports Policy. Sports Science & Health Advances, 4(01), 573-578. https://doi.org/10.60081/SSHA.04.01.2026.573-578