New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has decided to introduce a vocational course on 'Fitness and Gym Operation' from the 2012-13 academic session. The pilot run of the course of the course will be carried out in 50 select schools from Class XI onwards this year. The course is also designed to hone skills required for a career in sports.

Carrying 60 marks, the course will have five units in the theory part, while the practical part will carry 40 marks, having three units. The students in the class XI course will get to learn about various aspects of health, fitness, physiology of exercise and training, structure of a health-related fitness programme, and diet and nutrition.

Students opting for the subject will have to undergo 15 days of in-house internship in the institution/gym designated by the board. Training for class XI students will be held during the summer break before the new session begins. The cost of the internship will have to be paid either by the school or the students themselves.

The practical component in class XI includes training in a gym, procurement, placement and handling of gym equipment, CPR and cryotherapy, body composition analysis, fitness testing and different exercises such as cardio training and weight training.