Alarmed by the growing inactivity among school-going teens, as also the number of obesity cases, the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations’ (CISCE) had launched the ‘Active CISCE’ 2025-26 programme countrywide.For representation only (HT File Photo)The aim was to assess physical fitness of all students from Classes 1 to 12, through various sports, and for those falling below the mark, to recommend activities and exercises.This session, in the Uttar Pradesh region, out of 5,95,584 registered students, physical health and fitness assessments were completed for 5,06,084 (84.97%) of them, an official said.The total schools registered were 498 out of a total of 523 (95.20%) in UP region, according to a communication by Joseph Emmanuel, chief executive and secretary, CISCE.“CISCE is all set to organise workshops for coaches, physical education teachers and meeting of coordinators of CISCE games and sports for the UP region at La Martiniere College on July 4. Active CISCE is an initiative aimed at promoting physical fitness, active lifestyles, and overall well-being of students through structured physical education, fitness assessment modules,” he said.Launched on July 15 last year, the programme covered more than 3.12 million students from over 3,274 CISCE-affiliated schools. According to the council, 2.91 million students completed their assessments by April 30, 2026, translating into a national completion rate of 93.34%. Assessments of the remaining students are underway, the Board said in a statement.The July 4 meeting aims to orient coaches, PE teachers, and coordinators on the effective implementation of Active CISCE, review experiences from the previous year, strengthen coordination for CISCE Games and Sports, and promote a culture of fitness and holistic student development, CISCE secretary said.Talking about the objectives of the meeting, he said that it is aimed at enhancing the understanding of Active CISCE. It aims to familiarise coaches, PE teachers, and coordinators with the objectives, assessment framework, and new features of the Active CISCE programme. It also aims to train, orient and equip participants with the knowledge and practical guidance needed for effective implementation of Active CISCE in the academic session 2026–27.“We will review experiences and share best practices, discuss learnings from the inaugural year (2025–26), address challenges, and adopt improved practices for smoother execution. It is aimed to strengthen coordination in CISCE Games and Sports Facilitate collaboration among Principal Sports Coordinators (PSCs) and Zonal Sports Coordinators (ZSCs) for better planning and management of sports activities,” he said.Key aims of Active CISCE:1. Promote holistic development2. Assess physical fitness of every student3. Create fitness awareness and healthy habits4. Provide personalized fitness report cards5. Identify and nurture sports talent early6. Make physical activity part of daily school life7. Build national health benchmarks