Kozhikode: Are students who excel in swimming eligible for bonus points for admission to higher secondary Plus-One courses in Kerala under the sports quota?
A government order reportedly issued by controversial bureaucrat M Sivasankar has caused doubt as it contradicts the stand of General Education Minister V Sivankutty.
Principal Secretary of Sports M Sivasankar, in an order dated 27 April, appointed Kerala State Sports Council to issue certificates to students who participate in swimming contests.
The order was issued as per the decision taken at a meeting on 13 January, regarding the guidelines on granting grace marks for swimmers for admission to the Plus-One sports quota.
But Sivankutty had earlier said that no agency has been entrusted to issue certificates allowing bonus points for child swimmers.
What the Order states
As per the Principal Secretary's order the certificates issued by the Kerala Aquatic Association and the Swimming Federation of India should be submitted online to the secretary of the State Sports Council. This has to be done by the secretary of the district sports council. The State Sports Council then has to attest these certificates.
Moreover, the order says that the expert panels of the district sports councils should issue certificates to the students who are swimmers but do not have the certificates of the state and the national associations.
The Minister had denounced such certificates issued by the district sports councils as per the order.
Meanwhile, the minister noted that no decision has been taken about granting bonus points for students. The district sports councils have temporarily stopped issuing the certificates.
Secretary of Sports Sivasankar has been in the limelight over a sensational smuggling case registered in mid-2020.