Sports quota scrapped in MBBS admissions in Telangana by Hyderabad HC

Hyderabad : The Telangana Government last week received directions from the Hyderabad High Court to not admit anyone into medical courses under the sports quota for the current academic year.

Taken aback at odd names like, sepak takraw, modern pentathlon, lawn bowls and wushu, which were part of the eligible sport category for course admissions, Justices Kongara Vijaya Lakshmi and V Ramasubramanian said that it was better to not have sports quota for admission, than have fictitious sportsmen seeking admissions into medical courses, without having participated in any sports competition.

"If we allow such games and sports, then it will be a cakewalk for such champions to secure medical seats under sports quota and no wonder the authorities may very well introduce 'cakewalk' as a new sport from the next year," the bench said.

Commenting sarcastically, the court stated that the state's list of eligible sport only excluded video games.

The bench passed this interim order in response to a petition filed by T Shriya and four others from Hyderabad, challenging the state's GO Ms.no 7 issued on 21^st June 2018.

B Rachna Reddy, the petitioners' counsel, said that the directive to not take in anyone under the sports quota into MBBS courses was issued after the NEET exam had been conducted and results announced, as well as the counselling notification issued for the 2018-19 academic year; thus making it applicable after the exam had been conducted, which she defined as- illegal.

A 2 % reservation has been earmarked for sports people in academic admissions calling for huge competition and resulting in frequent fraudulent certificate submission for gaining admissions , alleged the petitioner's counsel.

The bench rapped the Telangana Sports Authority and other officials for allegedly allowing and turning a blind eye to these irregularities. It also cited the ACB raids and arrest of deputy director and four other officials of the Sports Authority, for resorting to malpractices in medical admissions under the sports quota.

Questioning the rationale leading to sports quota admissions it added, "If you want sportsmen to flourish, then give them jobs and ensure they keep on playing. By giving them medical seats, you are killing their skills in the sport and you are not doing any good in the field of medicine either," the bench said.

The court submitted that medical courses required a high degree of focus and quality time from students. None of the sports quota doctors it said had made any accomplished achievements or secured any international medals so far for the nation.

Turning critical towards the parents, the bench said: "When the sole aim of training children in some sports activity is to have them gain admission in a medical college, the same can never provide excellence either in sports or in medicine," reported the TOI

The court sought counters replies from the authorities concerned within six weeks for a final verdict being passed.