CHANDIGARH: The Union government on Saturday launched CHESS+ (Championing Excellence in Sport Skills), a nationwide initiative to introduce a structured chess curriculum in schools, with the pilot phase covering 30 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs) across the country, including 13 in Haryana, 15 in Uttar Pradesh and two in Delhi.The initiative was launched by Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and minister of state for education Jayant Chaudhary following International Chess Day celebrations.It is being implemented jointly by the All India Chess Federation (AICF) and the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS).Designed to promote the educational value of chess, CHESS+ seeks to develop critical thinking, problem-solving, concentration, decision-making and resilience among students.
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The pilot schools will receive a structured curriculum developed by the AICF, delivered through trained coaches and teacher-mentors, along with regular competitions and a comprehensive evaluation framework.The programme holds special significance for Haryana as the AICF is headed by its president Nitin Narang, a native of Karnal.Speaking on the rollout, Narang said 13 of Haryana’s 21 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas have been included in the first phase of the pilot.The remaining eight JNVs in the state will be covered in the next phase of expansion, he added.“The objective is to create a sustainable school chess ecosystem. We want every Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya to eventually become part of the programme,” Narang said, adding that the federation was committed to identifying and nurturing grassroots talent through structured chess education.The Union government said the experience gained from the pilot will guide the phased expansion of CHESS+ to the remaining Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and Kendriya Vidyalayas across the country.A special video message released on the occasion featured Jayant Chaudhary, Nitin Narang and Grandmaster Srinath Narayanan.In his message, Chaudhary said chess teaches patience, humility, strategic thinking and the ability to learn from both success and failure.He expressed confidence that the pilot would demonstrate the educational value of structured chess learning and lay the foundation for a nationwide rollout.Grandmaster Srinath Narayanan said chess had helped shape his life by strengthening decision-making, confidence and resilience, and encouraged students to make the most of the opportunity.Officials said CHESS+ combines structured learning, expert mentorship and competitive exposure to foster strategic thinking while developing the next generation of young chess talent.
