RUSA Proving Heavy On College Level Sports Competitions

Bhupinder Singh

(The writer is a national athletics coach)

More than 100 colleges affiliated to Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), are fulfilling the responsibility of imparting education to thousands of students in the state. Despite increase in the number of colleges, the strength of teams participating in inter college sports competitions has declined. Only half a dozen teams participated in women hockey championship held in Sundernagar. Similar was the case of women handball championship and situation was no better in men’s category either. RUSA is considered to be the prime reason behind declining participation of college students in sports competitions. Examinations are conducted twice in a year under RUSA system. Students admitted in June had to face exams in November and preparations for them begins two months prior to the examination schedule.  Maximum of inter college sports competitions are also held during this period. As a result students players do not get enough time for training. The students definitely will give preference to studies when exams and sports competitions will be held at same time. Therefore the dream of maximum participation of youth in sports and other youth activities does not seem to be getting realised soon. Whenever there is any discussion of changing the dates of sports competitions, All India Inter University Sports competitions emerges as a biggest hurdle. It is because university selects its team during inter college sports competitions. Maximum of inter university sports competitions are organised in a period between October and December. And the universities have to inform their representation at least 15 days prior to the competition. Therefore state university is compelled to organise inter college competitions 20 days prior to it. The second biggest reason behind decreasing participation in inter college sports competitions is lack of availability of physical education teacher at college level. There is only one teacher available per college and at some places even this post is vacant. Physical education is taught as a subject in most of the colleges in the state now. Therefore physical teacher appointed there has to take classes of his subjects like other subjects. In such a scenario, when will he manage teams for sports competitions. Therefore it becomes necessary to appoint two physical education teachers where it is taught as a subject. The other factor that adds to decreasing participation is sports competitions is serious lack of trainers. Till last decade, HPU had trainers appointed for almost all games or some were on deputation from Sports Authority of India. But now majority of the trainers appointed by HPU have retired and the SAI has stopped sending trainers in universities. The sports department has trainers appointed at district level but the facility is not available at sub-division and block levels.

Only those colleges are giving good results in sports that have either private trainer or sports hostel nearby. The university should frame inter college sports competitions calendar keeping in mind the exams schedule. And even then if the dates of exams clashed, then sports competitions dates should be extended and trials should be taken for inter university team.

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