The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has, for the first time, rolled out Physical Education and Well-Being textbooks for Classes 3 to 8, weaving together fitness, teamwork and life skills in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023.

The Class 8 textbook, Khel Yatra, goes beyond conventional drills, featuring activities such as Baraf Pani, Move Like a Machine and the Flex and React Challenge. Each is designed not only to build strength, stamina and flexibility, but also to instill empathy, alertness and decision-making in students.

At the heart of the series is Baraf Pani — a game that turns play into a lesson on bullying. Here, a “bully” chases a “victim,” who freezes upon capture. Classmates step in as bystanders or upstanders: bystanders can “unfreeze” the victim with reassuring words like “You are not alone”, while upstanders directly confront the bully with “Stop, that’s not okay.”

Through simple, active play, children learn how intervention and solidarity can protect peers and challenge harmful behaviour.

Other innovative exercises include Char Tali, which sharpens alertness while underscoring society’s role in preventing harassment, and Move Like a Machine, which helps students understand the musculoskeletal system in action.

Team-based games such as Pass, Sit and Score promote coordination and fast decision-making, while traditional athletics like crouching, long jumps and marathons ensure a balance of endurance and skill-building.

NCERT announced the launch of the textbooks on X (formerly Twitter), calling the initiative a step toward making physical education more engaging, holistic and aligned with real-life challenges.

By embedding lessons of courage, empathy and resilience into physical activity, the new PE curriculum seeks to redefine what it means to be fit — not just in body, but also in mind and spirit.