THE DELHI HIGH COURT has directed that, until further orders, the impugned suspension of the International Schools Sports Organisation (ISSO) dated 23 August, along with the letter issued on 4 September seeking to alter the established qualification pathway for international curriculum students, shall remain stayed.
This ensures that the ISSO Nationals 2025 will continue to serve as the recognised pathway for participation in the 69th National School Games, and thereby for qualification to the Khelo India Youth Games.
Since 2017, ISSO has acted as the sole affiliating body for international curriculum schools in India, enabling their students to compete on equal footing and progress through the pyramidal sporting structure alongside peers from CBSE, ICSE, Kendriya Vidyalaya, and other boards, per the release.
Over the years, more than 900 international curriculum schools and 25,000 student-athletes across 22 sporting disciplines and four age categories have relied on ISSO as their gateway to the National School Games.
The Court recognised the serious impact that would have resulted from disrupting this pathway and reaffirmed that the sporting interests of international curriculum students must be safeguarded. Crucially, it also clarified that no formal tie-up with the International Baccalaureate is required for IB-affiliated students to participate through ISSO.
