Physical education test must for college students in state

From now on, all students studying in universities and affiliated colleges in Maha-rashtra will have to take a 10-mark physical education examination for all three years of their degree. Sayli Udas Mankikar reports.

From now on, all students studying in universities and affiliated colleges in Maharashtra will have to take a 10-mark physical education examination for all three years of their degree.

HT Image

This is part of the sports policy recommendations given by a committee of vice-chancellors which has come into force in the form of a government resolution (GR) from July 25, and will be applicable from the current academic year.

The department wants all universities and colleges to follow a similar experiment done in Kolhapur University for first year degree students.

Every university and college will have to ensure that 10% of the budget is set aside for sports and related facilities.

The state higher and technical education department has made these rules mandatory for universities and colleges as a part of the state sports policy.

The GR also calls for forming a state-level universities’ sports authority which will oversee the monitoring and implementation of the sports policy.

When asked how this will be implemented, and whether the marks will be allotted from this year itself, the government appeared lost.

“At the outset, we have asked universities and colleges to prepare a plan, financial and infrastructure-related. Then we will take it forward. The reason for keeping 10 marks aside is to encourage students to use sports facilities,” sports minister Padmakar Walvi said.