UGC Asks Students, Faculty to Register on Fit India Movement

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has requested all higher educational institutions (HEIs) and their affiliated colleges to motivate students and faculties to register on the Fit India portal. The UGC, in a letter dated November 28, has the institutes to upload data on fitness activities performed at various times. Students and staff can get themselves registered via the Fit India website fitindiahe.education.gov.in and update fitness activities data.

The Ministry of Education (MoE) has created the Fit India portal to help students and staff achieve physical, mental, social-emotional and intellectual well-being. Among the initiatives proposed under this mission are promoting fitness as simple, enjoyable, and free; spreading fitness awareness, as well as different physical activities that support fitness through targeted campaigns.

“The mission of the Movement is to bring about behavioural changes and move towards a more physically active lifestyle,” reads the UGC statement.

The initiative proposed under this mission intends to support indigenous sports and bring fitness to every educational institute. Colleges/universities have also been directed to create a platform for citizens to share information, raise awareness, and tell personal fitness stories.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Fit India Movement on August 29, 2019, with the goal of making fitness an integral part of our daily lives.

Read | UGC to Introduce UG,PG Programmes in Regional Languages

Meanwhile, some draft regulations released by the UGC earlier this month for deemed-to-be universities did not sit well with the institutions. The regulations include prohibiting donation or capitation fees, keeping track of fee structures for various courses, and requiring these universities to set aside a significant corpus fund for development purposes.

The norm on fixed tenure of the chancellor, which must be for a maximum of five years with no reappointment, has received the most criticism. Prof Dr G Viswanathan, founder and chancellor of Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), told the Indian Express, that the chancellor of the institute in the case of deemed-to-be universities is the soul of the institute. Fixing the tenure will not accomplish much, he added.

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