The sports quota has turned into just an entry route for better
educational institutions rather than an opportunity to enhance the
sporting skills and take the sporting career ahead.
The attitude is more
unprofessional in the professional courses like engineering and
medicine where seats are ‘costly’.
In a cricket-obsessed country that’s also equally obsessed with
education, conflict of interest is but natural. Take Unmukt Chand’s case
for example. Technically, with an attendance of eight per cent no
college in its right mind would let its student sit for exams. But when
you take into consideration that he’s the cricket U-19 World Cup-winning
captain, rules and regulations have to be re-written.
Talking to The Hindu, Unmukt, who got into St. Stephen’s, Delhi,
through the sports quota, says, “With whatever little time I get, this
is how you’ll find me — trying to catch up with college stuff. For me,
it has never been one over the other. Cricket and education are equally
important, but it is practically impossible for me to make time for both
at the same time.”
While his case garnered a lot of media attention and debate, ultimately
resulting in a positive outcome for Unmukt, his teammate Ravi Kant Singh
didn’t get as lucky. Though having gained admission through the sports
quota in to Prafulla Chandra College (Calcutta University), his
professor “forgot” to register him under it and thus began all the
problems. With a poor attendance owing to cricketing commitment and not
registered under the sports quota, he was not allowed by the college to
sit for his exams. “Left with no choice, I have now applied in two other
colleges and hopefully will be allowed to join the second year, instead
of having to repeat my first year,” says Ravi Kant who hasn’t even had
the time to celebrate the team’s victory.
Universities and colleges across the country have been recognising
sporting talent by offering seats through the sports quota, though the
percentages or seats may vary.
The Tamil Nadu government in a welcome move increased the seats under
the sports quota to 500, a major leap from the 100 seats that were
allocated till last year. Encouragement for most students trying to walk
the tight rope between college and sports comes in the way of lower
bars for attendance, ODs, and the facility to take their exams on a
later date.
Natasha Phanse, a State-level basketball player, student of Vaze-Kelkar
College at Mulund, Mumbai, vouches for it: “It’s been a boon to get
admitted in sports quota because I get a lot of leeway in attendance
when there’s any tournament coming up or a practice session happening.
Once I had to miss a unit test due to a match, but my college generously
allowed me to cope it up with a re-exam. It helps us balance our
studies and sporting career.”
“Granting admission under sports quota is a recognition of what they’ve
achieved so far and if they want to continue pursuing their sport we can
only encourage them and not compel them to do so,” says Dr. M. Sekar,
the Dean of College of Engineering Guindy-Anna University.
Pradeep Sawant, Senate Member, Mumbai University and Yuva Sena, lists
the privileges offered to students in the sports quota: “Mumbai
University has a sports quota of three per cent for those seeking
admission in junior college. We have a system of giving grace marks (10
per cent of the total marks) to deserving students in the sports quota.
As for attendance, it is the college’s decision to decide how much of a
leeway to give a sports student.”
As per the regulations of the Delhi University, a minimum of 66 per cent
attendance is required, beyond which special requests can be made to
the VC. “There are ordinances in place, where attendance should be given
to students participating in sports, but people don’t follow rules,”
observes Meera Sood, Secretary, Delhi University Sports Council. She
cites instances where teachers don’t grant attendance and put their foot
down insisting that it is imperative that a student take up an
assignment or test.
Mandatory
Delhi University has a quota of five per cent that’s split between
sports and extra-curricular activities. The proportion of the split
though is for each college to decide. This year, the DU has made it
mandatory for all students given admission under the sports quota to
sign a judicial stamp paper stating they would continue with their
respective sports and also be available for all college and university
sporting events.
An interesting move considering many discontinue sports once they gain admission to colleges.
Completely seconding the move is racer Aditya Patel: “I know students
who get in through the sports quota and get laid back. They discontinue
their sport but enjoy the privileges that come with the quota like less
attendance and ODs. It is not fair on the student who has got in through
the quota and works hard to balance both his studies and sport.”
“I did not get admission into Loyola College through sports quota
because when I’d finished schooling, motorsport wasn’t included in the
eligibility,” he explains. “While my teachers helped me with my
attendance, when it came to missing exams I had to deal with the
management who were not very supportive. Hence, it took me four years to
complete my three-year course.”
Though the presence of sports quota across universities is a boon to
young sporting talent, looks like there’s still a long way to go till it
shapes up to fully justify its existence.
Liberal policy in Kerala
It is smooth sailing, by and large, for students admitted under the
sports quota in the universities in Kerala. Dedicated seats for such
candidates, a liberal policy regarding attendance — or shortage thereof —
and the provision for ‘grace marks’ can be said to be the main features
of sports quota admissions in these universities.
“No deserving sportsperson has failed to get admission to a college
under our university,” says Rajan Verghese the pro-vice chancellor of
the Mahatma Gandhi University. “We have two seats per batch for sports
quota in our degree programmes. However, if a college takes in 20 sports
persons and wants to bunch 10 of them in one batch, it can be done. We
don’t insist that there be two sportspersons in each class,” he points
out.
The director of physical education in the University of Kerala, Eugene
Sunil, says sports quota students almost never face any problem relating
to shortage of attendance. “The Kerala University is very liberal about
this. Any shortage in attendance is either made good by the college
concerned or, in some cases, by the university.”
According to Mr.
Varghese, there has not been any instance in the MG University during
the last four years when a sportsperson had to run from pillar to post
in order that he may get the attendance required to write any
examination.
Unsporting in A.P.
In Andhra Pradesh, there is nothing sporting about the sports quota in
the educational institutions and unfortunately some unsporting methods
are used to drive away the real sportsmen.
It is shocking, but seldom players from popular sports like cricket,
football, hockey, basket ball or athletics get a fair share in sports
quota admissions and the lion’s share is grabbed by sports like Ice
Hockey, Taekwondo and Roller Skating.
“It’s unfortunate but the sports quota is legally misused and it doesn’t
serve its actual purpose,” says L.B. Laxmikanth Rathod, Secretary,
Inter University tournaments, Osmania University. “The resulting loss is
to sportsmen who purse team games like football, hockey, cricket and
athletics as they don’t get admissions, and the opportunity and
concessions to utilise the facilities in the universities.”
Physical Directors in the universities and colleges believe that
lesser-known sports are included in the eligibility list by the Sports
Authority of Andhra Pradesh to favour children of officers and
politicians.
“They secure national-level certificates of such games
playing for one or two years and participating in the competitions that
lack seriousness,” argues a Physical Director. For example, seats in the
popular OU College of Engineering have been taken by roller skating
sportsmen in the last three years.
Admissions in the sports quota are based on the level of the competition
played by the candidates and not the marks secured in the qualifying
examination. “It is easy to manipulate in lesser-known games whereas it
takes at least 10 years to reach national-level in popular sports,” says
an official seeking anonymity.
Does the university or the individual colleges provide concessions to
serious sportsmen? Officials say that at the degree level attendance is
taken care of. Colleges traditionally known for sports attract
cricketers and athletes offering academic and monetary concessions.
Unfortunately, those who excel at the degree level fade out later due to
a combination of factors, and the very purpose of sports quota is
defeated.
Credits mechanism
According to Ashish Phulkar, Deputy Director, Sports and Physical
Education, Symbiosis International University (SIU), Pune, the Symbiosis
International University has introduced the mechanism of credits for
sports.
“Credits for sports instead of marks for sports encourage the students.
For every 15 hours of sports activity, be it participating or organising
events, the students can avail of one credit. Three credits are
reserved for sports in a year per student,” he says. “Giving marks
freely will be like comparing physical activity to mental activity.
Students should be awarded for what they have worked.”
“Recognition for the talent is important, and the academic institute
should ensure that there are no repercussions on the future of the
students,” he says. The Academic Council members and the Directors of
the various institutes have been co-operative with the implementation of
this mechanism. “This is important to build a sports culture. The
solutions need to be found within the system, with policy changes that
ensure that the students don’t suffer,” says Mr. Phulkar.
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