Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government is set to introduce a dedicated curriculum for physical education in its schools from the upcoming academic year, following the model of CBSE schools.

Currently, government schools appoint one physical education teacher for schools with fewer than 700 students and two for those with more than 700. However, a structured curriculum for physical education has yet to be implemented.

Since physical education is included in exams, teachers have been conducting lessons without a standardized syllabus. Addressing this, an education official confirmed that a curriculum is in development and will be introduced next year.

"In CBSE schools across various states, physical education is taught as a separate subject, which enhances student participation and achievement in sports competitions. During a consultation with senior officials, we recommended introducing a similar system in Tamil Nadu government schools," the official said.

Following this recommendation, the government formed three committees to study the implementation of physical education. Committee members visited states like Odisha and Kerala three months ago to review their textbooks and teaching methods.

Based on their findings, steps are being taken to establish a structured curriculum in Tamil Nadu, which is expected to be rolled out in the upcoming academic year.