Delhi cabinet approves setting up of 'Sports University': Kejriwal

The Delhi government will open a "Sports University" in the national capital, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said here on Thursday.

Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal, with his deputy Manish Sisodia by his side, said a bill in this regard was approved by the cabinet on Thursday and it would be sent to Lieutenant Governor (LG) Anil Baijal for approval.

After that, the bill would be tabled in the Assembly, he said.

The chief minister said the "Sports University" would come up on a 90-acre land in the Mundka area.

According to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the national capital, the Delhi Sports University (DSU) Bill grants the university the right to establish constituent schools and colleges.

The main aim of the university would be to groom the students who would excel in various sports in school, the government said.

The chief minister said earlier, a sportsperson used to be uncertain about his future just for the fact that if he was not able to establish a career in sports, he would just be called a school pass out.

"A sportsperson would not get a job because every job requires at least a graduation degree to get through. The sports university will grant you a degree in sports such as cricket and hockey.

"A passionate sportsperson can now devote all of his time to playing and excelling in sports," he said.

A sportsperson's graduation, post-graduation and doctorate degrees will be in the subjects of sports, Kejriwal said, adding that he could show his degrees wherever required.

Giving an example, Kejriwal said a sportsperson could also appear in the civil services examination because he would be considered a graduate after getting the degree.

Sisodia said most of the students had to compromise when it came to sports to keep up with their performance in the main subjects.

"Some of the students I know are pursuing their graduation from SOL (School of Open Learning) to manage sports and studies both...the share of jobs under the sports quota is also limited.

"We are hoping to eradicate that uncertainty from the minds of sportspersons," the deputy chief minister said.

The vice-chancellor of the university would be an experienced sportsperson, he added.

Kejriwal said the curriculum of the university and the subjects were in the process of ideation and would be developed following further deliberations with experts.

He said the DSU Bill defined the administrative and legal structure of the university.

Several experts would be involved at various stages to design and give a definite structure to the curriculum of the courses, he added.