MSSHSPETA opposes CBSE schools’ participation in DSO tournaments

 

 

THE Maharashtra State Secondary and Higher Secondary Physical Education Teachers Association (MSSHSPETA), Nagpur has threatened to boycott sports competitions organised by the District Sports Office (DSO) if the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) schools are permitted to take part in the competitions in this academic session. The MSSHSPETA stated that CBSE schools and students are getting dual advantage of participating in School Games Federation of India (SGFI) events through State Board as well as CBSE. The members submitted a memorandum to MLC Sandip Joshi and requested him to raise questions during the monsoon session of State Legislative Assembly and disallow CBSE schools’ participation in DSO-organised events as they have got recognition from SGFI. President of MSSHSPETA Padmakar Charmode, Secretary Vishal Lokhande, Joint Secretary Sachin Deshmukh, City President Ashfaque Sheikh, members Pankaj Karpe, Vaibhav Kumre, Sarika Joshi, Saurabh Dubey and others met MLC Joshi and District Collector Dilip Itankar and submitted the memorandum. They will also meet Deputy Director, Sports and Youth Services, Nagpur Division, District Sports Office and Sports Officer, Nagpur Municipal Corporation and submit the copy to them too.

 

Explaining their demands, association President Charmode, submitted that CBSE, New Delhi, has got separate recognition from SGFI in June 2024. Through this Unit, around 878 sportspersons of CBSE schools participated in the 68th School Nationals in different sports events. Similarly, another unit — CBSE Agra Sports Organisation, which also got SGFI recognition, — saw participation of around 1616 students in the SGFI nationals. Charmode claimed that students of CBSE schools thus get the opportunity to participate in nationals through three units — CBSE Unit, CBSE Sports Organisation, Agra and Maharashtra State Board whereas students of Maharashtra State Board can only participate through only one Unit (State Board) which is totally unfair.

 

Charmode pointed out that students from CBSE participate in CBSE-organised competitions and those winning medals take part in SGFI nationals under CBSE banner. Those failing in CBSE meets, participate in competitions organised by Deputy Director Sports and Youth Services, Maharashtra and get another chance to take part in the SGFI nationals. This reflects in CBSE schools’ maximum participation in SGFI nationals, which is totally unfair upon the State Board sportspersons who get only one opportunity. Citing an example, Charmode stated that if a student wins 100m race in both CBSE as well as State Board-organised events, he is allowed to take part in SGFI nationals only through any one Board as SGFI nationals invites all the boards for its competitions. “In this situation, it is a loss of one sportsperson, be it from CBSE or from State Board as one place goes vacant,” explained Charmode through the memorandum. “This is clearly unfair and a loss of sportspersons,” he stressed.

 

“When there is separate examination for CBSE and State Boards then why not separate sports competitions for the two? The CBSE schools should represent its Unit and State Board schools should play for Maharashtra Board,” Charmode said. “They (CBSE schools) never allow State board schools to participate in their competitions then why are they being permitted to take part in competitions organised by Maharashtra State,” Charmode questioned.