Finally, Haryana CM agrees to restore 3% sports quota
CHANDIGARH: Yielding to his alliance partner, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday said the state government has decided to restore the 3% quota for sportspersons in Group C government jobs in Haryana. Khattar said there is already 10% reservation for sportspersons in Group D jobs.
While Khattar wanted the 3% sports quota to be done away with, his Thursday’s decision comes in wake of a public statement made by ruling BJP’S coalition partner and Khattar’s deputy Dushyant Chautala of the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) promising restoration of 3% sports quota in jobs.
Hindustan Times was the first to report last Wednesday on how Khattar and Dushyant were at odds on the issue of 3% sports quota.
The CM had last week said only medal-winning sportspersons will get government jobs as per the sports policy of the state government and no jobs will be given only on the basis of gradation certificates for mere participation in sports tournaments. The next day, Dushyant had announced at Uchana Kalan that the state will soon restore the 3% quota for sportspersons in government jobs.
Khattar, who held a meeting of the sports and youth affairs department on Thursday to sort out the issue, said with restoration of 3% job quota in Group C posts, around 400-450 players are expected to be benefitted.
“Not only this, the government will also give chance to the players to choose the department of their interest before recruiting them for the Group C jobs,” the chief minister said.
He said many complaints regarding irregularities in the gradation certificates have been reported and to redress such complaints, a special portal has been developed by the state government.
“Information of the medalwinning players and players participating in sports events organised by sports organisations affiliated to the sports department will be uploaded and made available in public domain. After verification of this data, a gradation certificate will be issued,” the CM said. The government has also decided that one Group
A vacancy will be created for district sports manager in every district. Khattar said as per their policy of ‘Padak Lao, Pad Pao’, sportspersons who win medals will continue to get Group A, B, C and D category jobs as before.
Haryana sports minister Sandeep Singh had told the assembly last year that the state government has framed the Haryana Outstanding Sportspersons (Group A, B and C) Service Rules 2021 by repealing the Haryana Outstanding Sportspersons (Recruitment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 2018 after approval of the cabinet on February 10, 2021.
As per these rules, an outstanding sportsperson (OSP) cadre has been created for the promotion of sports. Outstanding sportsperson will be appointed in Group-a, B and C services depending on the level of their achievement in national and international tournaments under the new rules in the sports and youth affairs department. They will be liable to serve in centres of excellence, academies, sports complexes established in state.
Information of the medal-winning players and players participating in events held by bodies affiliated to the sports dept will be uploaded and made available in public domain. After verification of this data, a gradation certificate will be issued. MANOHAR LAL KHATTAR, Haryana CM