NCERT Launches ‘Baraf Pani’ Game in New PE Curriculum to Tackle Bullying in Schools

Keywords: NCERT Physical Education 2025, Baraf Pani game, anti-bullying in schools, NEP 2020, NCF-SE 2023, Khel Yatra textbook, Class 8 PE curriculum, child well-being activities

By: Sahil Behl
Published on: August 29, 2025
Read Time: 2 minutes

In a groundbreaking move to integrate social-emotional learning with physical fitness, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has introduced a new Class 8 Physical Education textbook featuring the game “Baraf Pani”—a powerful activity aimed at raising awareness around bullying in schools.

The textbook, part of the “Physical Education and Well-Being” series, aligns with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023. It promotes not only physical activity but also emotional intelligence, empathy, and peer support.

What is the “Baraf Pani” Game?

In the Baraf Pani activity, students play distinct roles such as the bully, the victim, the bystander, and the upstander. The game unfolds with a simple but impactful format:

• The bully chases the victim.
• Once caught, the victim must freeze—symbolizing isolation or helplessness.
• Bystanders can “unfreeze” the victim by gently tapping them and saying empowering phrases like “You are not alone” or “I am with you.”
• Upstanders can step in and stop the bullying by confronting the bully with assertive phrases like “Stop, that’s not okay.”

This imaginative physical activity not only encourages movement and fitness but also fosters empathy and proactive behavior in children.

A New Era of Physical Education

The Khel Yatra textbook also features other innovative activities such as “Move Like a Machine,” “Flex and React Challenge,” and classic athletic exercises like marathons, long jumps, and standing broad jumps. Each activity begins with warm-up routines including leaping, skipping, jumping, and hip and pelvic stretches, emphasizing safe physical development.

NCERT’s 2025 curriculum represents a holistic approach to child well-being, combining physical education with life skills, teamwork, and anti-bullying education—a much-needed step towards safer, more inclusive classrooms.

With initiatives like Baraf Pani, NCERT is setting a precedent in using physical education as a tool for social change. By encouraging students to support each other and take a stand against bullying, the new curriculum not only strengthens bodies—but builds stronger, kinder minds.