Students of CBSE schools will be able to take their board exams only if the institutions have religiously carried out the national board’s latest instructions on a more rigorous health and physical education regime.

After asking its 22,000 affiliated schools in March to conduct health and physical education (HPE) periods compulsorily every day, the Central Board of Secondary Education last week tied proof of compliance to their students’ academic future.

“The schools are required to upload data of HPE activities/ work accomplished across the strands of HPE for enabling students of Class X and XII to appear in board exam,” said a circular issued by CBSE secretary Anurag Tripathi.

The schools would need to upload their activities in all the three strands of HPE: sports and games; fitness activities including mass physical training, yoga and dance; and social work such as cleaning and participation in military training or an eco club, an adult literacy campaign or a youth parliament.

Earlier, the schools would hold two physical education periods a week but now must conduct one or other strand of HPE every day.

Students were always free to participate in the National Cadet Corps (NCC) or the National Service Scheme (NSS). Now these two activities have been integrated with the HPE programme. Two principals clarified, however, that not every component of every strand is compulsory.

“The schools used to do all these activities but in a piecemeal manner. Now all this has been institutionalised with a clear direction from the CBSE,” said Sangita Bhatia, principal of the KIIT World School here.

“The schools will have to realign their timetables and priorities. The success of the HPE will rest on the schools’ outlook towards the change.”

Bhatia said the schools might meet the increased HPE load by involving teachers of academic subjects too.

Ameeta Mullah Wattal, principal of Springdales School here, said the social service programmes, conducted through involvement with the local community, are key aspects of education that should be promoted.

“Now all the activities have been integrated. This is a good thing. But whether a student will do NCC (in particular) will depend on the choice of the student,” Wattal said.

A CBSE official said that the schools had been advised to maintain regular records of the students’ performances in sports and games. Besides, the schools must monitor the health of every child through check-ups.