New Delhi: The Union government on Saturday launched CHESS+ (Championing Excellence in Sport Skills), an initiative aimed at introducing a structured chess curriculum in schools to strengthen the country's school chess ecosystem.
The programme was launched by Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary.
Following International Chess Day, I am incredibly happy to announce the launch of our CHESS+ Initiative.
— Jayant Singh (@jayantrld) July 25, 2026
With the support of @aicfchess and @NVS_HQ, we will soon roll out a pilot program across 30 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs), bringing a structured chess curriculum right… pic.twitter.com/P3QTqExP2c
The initiative is being implemented in partnership with the All India Chess Federation (AICF) and the Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS). It will begin with a pilot programme across 30 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs)—13 in Haryana, 15 in Uttar Pradesh and two in Delhi.
According to an official release, CHESS+ is designed to harness the educational value of chess by helping students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, concentration, decision-making and resilience.
The pilot programme will feature a structured curriculum developed by the AICF, delivered through trained coaches and teacher-mentors. It will also include regular competitions and a comprehensive evaluation framework.
The government said the lessons from the pilot programme will be used to guide the phased expansion of CHESS+ across Kendriya Vidyalayas and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas nationwide.
