Sports and Education Ministries Sign MoU With UNESCO to Promote Clean Sport Values in Indian Classrooms

India's Sports and Education Ministries have partnered with UNESCO to introduce clean sport values in classrooms through a multilingual toolkit promoting respect, integrity and fairness among students.

Sports and Education Ministries Sign MoU With UNESCO to Promote Clean Sport Values in Indian Classrooms

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the Ministry of Education and UNESCO have joined hands to promote ethical sporting values among schoolchildren across India. The organisations exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to introduce the ‘Sports Values in Every Classroom Toolkit’, an initiative designed to integrate sports ethics into everyday learning.

The MoU was exchanged during the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) India's Clean Sport Conclave in New Delhi. Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya and Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi highlighted the importance of connecting education with sports in line with the objectives of Khelo Bharat Niti 2025.

Sports Values in Every Classroom Toolkit to Reach Students

The initiative aims to introduce values such as respect, integrity and fairness through classroom lessons, sporting activities and educational resources.

According to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, the toolkit includes video-based learning modules that will be available in 13 Indian languages. This multilingual approach is intended to make the material accessible to students from different linguistic backgrounds.

The programme seeks to help children understand the importance of ethical behaviour, both in competitive sports and in their everyday lives. By introducing these principles early, the initiative aims to encourage responsible participation and contribute to a fairer sporting environment.

Mansukh Mandaviya Emphasises Sporting Excellence and Integrity

Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya welcomed the collaboration between the Sports and Education Ministries, describing it as part of the government's effort to bring sports and education closer together.

He stressed that athletic achievement must be supported by honesty, discipline and fair competition. According to the minister, talent and hard work are essential for success, but maintaining the credibility of sporting competitions is equally important.

Mandaviya also highlighted India's growing sporting ambitions, referring to the country's fourth-place finishes at the Asian Games and Asian Para Games. He noted that doping remains a serious challenge requiring continued attention to education, prevention, testing and enforcement.

NADA Strengthens Anti-Doping Education and Testing

The Sports Minister shared details of India's anti-doping efforts, stating that the National Anti-Doping Agency conducted more than 7,000 tests during 2025–26. The agency also organised over 350 educational and awareness sessions, reaching approximately 27,000 participants.

These activities are intended to improve awareness of prohibited substances and encourage athletes to follow clean sport practices.

Mandaviya also referred to supplement-testing facilities at the National Forensic Sciences University in Gandhinagar and the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research in Hyderabad. Such facilities can help identify potential risks associated with supplements and reduce the possibility of inadvertent doping.

He added that NADA's investigative capabilities would be strengthened in line with international practices. The minister also referred to the National Anti-Doping Act and the government's efforts concerning provisions to criminalise doping-related activities.

Pralhad Joshi Calls for a Stronger Link Between Education and Sports

Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi said the agreement would help address the longstanding separation between academic education and sporting participation.

He observed that students who excel academically do not always receive adequate opportunities to participate in sports. Strengthening grassroots access and creating clearer pathways for young athletes are therefore important priorities.

Joshi said incorporating sports values into education could make ethical behaviour a regular part of students' learning experiences rather than limiting it to sports fields.

He also emphasised that principles such as fairness, responsibility and integrity should extend beyond schools and influence society more broadly.

UNESCO Highlights Teachers' Role in Promoting Clean Sport

Dr. Tim Curtis, Director of UNESCO's Regional Office for South Asia, described the partnership as an important development in the organisation's cooperation with India.

He said the initiative could reach millions of young people and potentially offer a model for other countries seeking to integrate sporting values into education.

Curtis emphasised the role of teachers in turning the toolkit's principles into everyday classroom practices. The educational resources are designed to give teachers practical ideas for discussing ethical choices, following rules and treating others fairly.

He also stressed that integrity means making the right choices even when no one is observing. Developing this attitude from an early age is an important objective of the programme.

Clean Sport Conclave Brings Together Sports and Education Leaders

The Clean Sport Conclave brought together senior officials and sporting representatives to discuss anti-doping and ethical participation.

Those attending included UNESCO's Tim Curtis, Department of School Education Secretary T. K. Anil Kumar, Sports Secretary Hari Ranjan Rao and NADA Director General Anant Kumar.

International delegates who had attended statutory meetings of UNESCO's anti-doping conventions were also present. Indian international javelin thrower Sachin Yadav participated in the event.

Their presence highlighted the importance of cooperation among government institutions, international organisations, educators and athletes in promoting clean sport.

Conclusion

The MoU between India's Sports and Education Ministries and UNESCO aims to make respect, integrity and fairness an integral part of classroom learning. Through the multilingual Sports Values in Every Classroom Toolkit, the initiative seeks to strengthen clean sport awareness among young people. Combined with anti-doping education and wider access to sports, the programme could support a more ethical and inclusive sporting culture across India.