Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Q3. “The National Sports Policy 2025 presents sports as a tool of national development”. Discuss the socio-economic significance of the policy. Identify the gaps that may hinder its grassroots impact. (10 M)
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: IE
Why the question:
National Sports Policy 2025, recently approved by the Union Cabinet, aims to position sports as a driver of national development. However, its lack of binding inclusion mechanisms raises concerns about its grassroots effectiveness.Key Demand of the question:
The answer must examine how NSP 2025 links sports with broader socio-economic goals and critically assess the limitations in design and implementation that may restrict its grassroots outreach.Structure of the Answer:
Introduction:
Introduce NSP 2025 as a strategic policy shift aiming to leverage sports for developmental objectives beyond athletic performance.Body:
- Briefly outline the structural vision of NSP 2025 and how it defines sports as a development tool.
- Discuss the socio-economic significance such as job creation, physical literacy, inclusion of underrepresented groups, and public-private partnerships.
- Identify major gaps like absence of enforceable inclusion mandates, exclusion of transgender athletes, lack of infrastructure accessibility, and no independent oversight.
- Suggest key reforms to make the policy rights-based and implementation-focused, especially at the grassroots level.
Conclusion:
Conclude with the need to transform NSP 2025 from a visionary document into a legally grounded and institutionally accountable framework.
