Recommendations on Sports Policy by the Goa RTI Forum Background:
The Goa Sports Policy 2009 was implemented to encourage young children to pursue sports alongside academics. Though the Policy promised much and was meant to encourage young athletes to achieve sporting excellence through various incentives, however, due to various anomalies in the draft and reluctance on the part of the Goa Education Board to wholly back the same, the desired results were far from achieved. The Policy is now currently under review, following a proposal made by the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education to implement a cumulative marks system, whereby marks are to be allotted at every stage of the competition. "The final marks allotted to a student shall be the sum total he/she has been awarded at every level. For example, if a student wins at taluka level, wins at district level and wins at state level he/she shall be awarded 2+7+2+7+3+7 = 28 marks," states the note prepared by Goa Board chairman J R Rebello. The Goa Olympic Association, which met recently along with its affiliated member Associations, also endorsed a near similar proposal on awarding cumulative sports merit marks. Goa RTI Forum view: The Goa RTI Forum discussed the issue at its General Body Meeting held on 26th October 2013, at Panaji-Goa and there was a unanimous view that a proper scientific approach must be adopted by the Goa Government in awarding sports merit marks to achieve a particular desired result. The Forum, following inputs provided by Arjuna Awardee Brahmanand Shakwalker and Goa RTI Forum co-ordinator(Sports) Sandeep Heble, unanimously made the following recommendations on the Sports Policy, copies of which have been forwarded to the Hon’ ble Chief Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar, Hon’ ble Minister for Sports Shri Ramesh Tawadkar, Chief Secretary, Sports Secretary, Director(DSYA) & Executive Director(SAG) for their perusal and for taking further appropriate action: Recommendations on Sports Policy by the Goa RTI Forum at its General Body Meeting held on 26th October 2013, at Panaji-Goa The Goa Sports Policy must be re-designed on scientific lines. Participation in sports must be means for improving physical fitness and sporting excellence; for learning values of practice and self-discipline; and for building qualities of self-confidence and high esteem. Participation merely for the sake of availing sports participation marks must be discouraged. The National Physical Fitness programme envisaged by the Central Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs, following inputs received from the Sports Authority of India(SAI); and Training modules of the Army and paramilitary forces, may be used as a guideline while re-designing such a policy. Sports and Physical education must be made an academic subject in the curriculum with regular physical fitness programmes and drills held in schools. Sports marks must be awarded to all those students who take to sports and who attain a certain level of physical fitness. Such marks must be added to the aggregate scored by the students and must not have merely decorative value as has been the case in the past. The students must be graded periodically on universally applicable parameters on their physical fitness levels. The Fitness evaluation must have six components --- cardio-respiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, explosive strength (jumping) and body composition (percentage of body fat), as envisaged in the National Physical Fitness Programme Draft. Such continuous physical evaluation will improve the fitness level of the children and will make them physically fit and healthy, which is a pre-requisite for achieving sporting brilliance and excellence. In addition, students must be given psychological and mental training for building their motivation, focus, commitment, mental toughness, for enhancing their performance and turning them into potential winners. Sports cells must be initiated for evaluating the students, which could be managed by qualified coaches/ sportspersons of repute. Additional merit marks must be awarded to students who excel at the different levels of participation in their chosen sports disciplines, with higher quantum of marks awarded for higher levels of success. Various other incentives may be provided to sportspersons who show the desired results and promise. A percentage of seats in educational institutes and for Government Jobs must be reserved for sportspersons who excel in sports. Yours sincerely Sandeep Heble co-ordinator(Sports), Goa RTI Forum 9326129171
