Physical Education is the science of nutrition, training for the body and leading a healthy way of life. Students who aspire to build a career in Physical Education can take up one the specialized courses. There are two courses available for Physical Education; Bachelor in Physical Education and Master in Physical Education.
Both the courses for Physical Education focus on teaching and training the students to lead a healthy lifestyle. The UG course has a duration of usually 3-4 years; it depends on the college/institute. The PG course is 2 years in duration.
The PG course (Master) can be taken for any specialized subject or any field of expertise. The admission in both the courses is based on the merit list of various entrance exams or 10+2 marks.
Aspirants must make sure that they fulfil the eligibility requirements for admission into Physical Education courses. The eligibility criteria for Physical education courses are mentioned below:
Bachelor in Physical Education demands a 10+2 or any equivalent qualification. If there is an entrance exam, then students can apply for the exam and get admission. Also, the student must be over 17 years of age at the time of admission. Other requirements are; that a student should have passed 10+2 with any recognized board with a minimum 50% mark. Almost all the universities take a physical test or round for screening. This is to ensure that a student is physically fit and fine.
Master in Physical Education is a postgraduate course therefore the student must possess a degree in undergraduate course from the same field. Students can choose for specialization in any one of the subjects during the commencement. The aggregate score must be more than 50% in all the semesters. The undergraduate degree must be from a recognized university and one must have prior experience in sports and fitness.
Physical wellbeing and fitness are some of the biggest concerns of the youth and generation Z today. Physical Education focuses on teaching students about every aspect of physical education. It focuses on physical exercises, movements, anatomy, nutrition, etc. Both the courses aim at empowering the people to incline towards a healthy lifestyle. This is the need of the hour, especially in India. There are more gym trainers and health experts in the country than 10 years ago. This shows that this industry is evolving rapidly in the country. With the emergence of this industry, new technology and ways will come. It is directly proportional to several job opportunities availability in India. According to the stats, job options for physical education in India are more than abroad. India is going through a fitness revolution. And we are just scratching the surface. What lies underneath is way better. New career options are opening up and this means new jobs are coming.
Students pursuing Physical Education study theoretical as well as practical subjects. The syllabus breakup is as follows:
| Theory Subjects | Practical Subjects |
|---|---|
| History of Physical Education | Boxing |
| English and Communication Skills | Swimming |
| Sports Management | Badminton |
| Yoga | Football |
| Organization and Administration of Physical Education | Tennis |
| Physiology | Volleyball |
| Psychology | Wrestling |
| Sports Technology | Other Sports |
After completion of both the courses, students can opt for many different career options. For example, teacher, trainer, consultant, athlete, sportsperson, etc. People in India are now taking physical fitness more seriously than before.
According to stats, a decade ago there were very few gymnasiums and training centers in the country. The scenario today is just reversed. This simply means that there is more demand for professionals in this industry.
New career options are opening; hence the scope of this field in terms of career is very bright. More and more students should enroll for this course, in both UG and PG. After gaining some experience, one can also go for jobs abroad.
Physical Education is a must for the holistic development of a child. A fit human body possesses a good personality; these are traits of a self-confident man. People all around the world, now, understand the importance of physical wellness. Many campaigns are run by an organization to make the people aware of the need for maintaining physical wellbeing.
The statistics show trends in India about physical education. Trends are; school administration taking an active part in teaching students. The second trend is changing the testing pattern. Third is physical education literature.
There is a tremendous increase in literature on fitness available in secondary schools. The schools have enrolled many students; it indicates in future there are going to be more job opportunities.
Trends show a slow and permanent increase in the jobs available in this industry. Future holds many new opportunities for the professionals.
The trends shown above indicate that there will be more jobs in future. Considering today’s scenario, there are ample jobs available in India as well as abroad. But it is very hard to find a job abroad without any prior experience. Keep in mind that you will have better job options after Post Graduation.
| Sr No. | Job Profiles | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Sports Therapist | A sports therapist is a person who uses knowledge of sports and exercise principles to upgrade the performance of players. He can also train or make plans for players and injury. The therapist also provides remedies and injury cures for players or patients. |
| 2. | Teacher | A Physical Education teacher ensures that the students perform exercises and tasks in a well-prepared manner. He organizes games and tournaments in the schools or organizations. His main aim is to ensure that students develop correct motor skills and practices. |
| 3. | Consultant | Consultant’s main task is to consult and execute the tasks in a physical education institute or organization. He coordinates with the in-house to make plans. |
| 4. | Umpire/Referee | This is a ‘Judge’ of the on-going game. He is responsible for maintaining the dignity and rules of the game. He can also disqualify a player if he detects any violation. |
| 5. | Sports/Athletic Trainer | An athletic trainer performs tasks and ensures prevention of any injury before the game or tournament. They can also evaluate, assess, and give emergency care if needed. |
The top recruiters in this industry are educational institutes and schools. Government jobs are a great option if you are looking for handsome salary packages. Every year, the government releases vacancies for Physical education teachers and trainers. You can check online for the application form of different papers.
Top recruiters are only schools and educational institutions hence the list below will mainly contain various educational institutions.
Apart from all these institutions, students can also opt for opening their online services for consultancy as a trainer or coach.
The average salaries for all the professions are different. The range is very vast. You can find the salaries for all the jobs listed above below.
| Sr No. | Job Profiles | Expected Salary in INR (per annum) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Sports Therapist | Rs. 5-10 lakhs p.a. (Approx.) |
| 2. | Teacher | Rs. 3-8 lakhs p.a. (Approx.) |
| 3. | Consultant | Rs. 3-10 lakhs p.a. (Approx.) |
| 4. | Umpire/Referee | Rs. 6.5-8.7 lakhs p.a. (Approx.) |
| 5. | Sports/Athletic Trainer | Rs. 3-7 lakhs p.a. (Approx.) |
**The salary figures mentioned anywhere in this article is just for reference purposes. Please treat them as such. Actual salaries may vary depending on respective candidates, employer, job location and numerous other factors.
Aspiring candidates for UG/PG in physical education should possess some traits or skills. Many of the skills are related to physical abilities and mental stress handling. The students who show relevancy in their abilities should ideally go for this course. Some of the most sought for skills are:
Along with these skills, institutes also look for other skills like patience, creativity, hardworking, decision making, etc. Physical education is a demanding career; hence students are advised to keep themselves involved in any kind of sports or physical activity. You should show these skills first to be able to develop advanced skills while the course is commencing.
Physical Education is a course of physical activity, so the curriculum must induce good physical ability and strength. Students get very excellent chances to excel in any sports or game. Hence the curriculum is divided into both theory and practical subjects. The weightage of practical subjects is more than theory but exams are conducted based on performance in both. The curriculum contains subjects like history of physical education, human anatomy, sports management, camping, recreation, teaching practice, applied anatomy, sociology of sports. Practical subjects include sports like volleyball, cricket, football, swimming, etc. Let us look at the syllabus breakup.