Ministry issues guidelines for Arjuna Awards criteria

To avoid any controversy on the criteria for giving away Arjuna Awards, the Sports Ministry today decided to grant 90 per cent weightage to medal winners of various international championships and sports events of disciplines covered in Olympics (Summer, Winter and Paralympics), Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
The guideline, which is released by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports today, will be applicable from 2014 onwards.
According to the release, the winners of medals in Olympics and Paralympics will automatically be considered for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna or Arjuna Awards, depending on the type of medal won, if the sportspersons have already not been conferred with either of the two honours.

After Olympics, maximum weightage will be given to World Championship/World Cup (once in four years), followed by Asian Games and Commonwealth Games, it added.
While 90 marks will be given to the sportspersons getting maximum points in the World Championship/World Cup, the rest of the sportspersons will be given marks proportionately to that athlete.
Meanwhile, 10 per cent weightage will be given to the marks awarded by the selection committee for assessment of the eligible sportspersons keeping in view factors like profile and standard of the sports events in which he or she has won medals and qualities like leadership, sportsmanship, team spirit, fair play, sense of discipline, a statement said.

The release also clarified that adequate representation would be insured for physically challenged and women.