Panel to probe ‘favouritism’ in sports selections

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, October 13 

Amid allegations of favouritism in the selection of students for sports events in government schools, the Education Department has constituted a three-member inquiry-cum-grievances redressal committee to look into the charges.

Favoritism in sports is one of the most popular topics in the government schools. Some teachers are accused of favouring certain students to send them to the national level from cluster and zonal levels. 

It is believed that those students whose parents are friends or relatives of some teachers, who have the authority to pick up players for the next level, find preferential treatment in their selection so that they could get benefit of sports quota reservation in different professional courses, including medical and engineering, by participating at the national level.

After receiving many complaints about irregularities and allegations of favouritism, Krishan Kumar, Secretary, School Education Department, on Friday ordered to constitute a three-member committee to look into allegations. The committee has members from government schools of Patiala and Dera Bassi.

The committee will redress the complaints of favouritism in the selection of students in the trial for zonal, district, inter-district and national games. The committee will also scrutinise the competency and neutrality of the employees, appointed by the state organiser (Sports), during sports events at various levels. It will also inquire into the allegations against the employees appointed during the school games.

As the School Education Department has received many complaints of coach and officials demanding money from parents of the students, the committee will also investigate these allegations. As there are also complaints that students are getting sports kits, the panel will also look into these shortcomings.

The committee members will listen to the complaints two days a week and will recommend necessary action against those found guilty, reads the letter, received by all district education officers.

The sports events are organised at cluster/ zonal, district, inter-district and national level every year in various age groups for boys and girls. An online system has been introduced for inviting proposals for hosting sports events and for applying to participate in these events. 

It is alleged that there is partiality with the students not only at the registration level but also in giving result during the competitions at cluster and zonal level.