Players get provisional gradation certificates at the eleventh hour

Deepankar Sharda 

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 20 

After failing to get signatures of the Secretary (Sports), for issuing the gradation certificates, the UT Sports Department distributed provisional certificates to its players at the eleventh hour. The last date to apply for the class 11th admission in government schools was today.

The players seeking admission under sports quota were made to run from pillar to post for getting the provisional certificate and get the counter signatures of the officials. The interview for issuing the gradation certificates was held on June 13 and after that the authorities only had to get the signatures of the Secretary (Sports).

But, despite knowing the shortage of time, the authorities kept things pending till the last moment. A member of the clerical staff, asking for anonymity, said that the concerned staff was on leave which made it difficult for them to get the certificates approved from the Secretary.

“We are issuing a provisional certificate but only to those sportspersons who are applying for admissions in the government schools. The gradation certificates are not signed by the Secretary, and in order to avoid any inconvenience, we are issuing this,” said the staff member.

When asked if any public notice was given, the staff member replied in the negative, claiming that the players who have applied for the certificate were in touch with the officials.

Notably, even the distribution of the provisional certificates started yesterday, after a two-day government holiday. No official of the Sports Department was available to comment on the issue. Meanwhile, the sportspersons alleged harassment on the part of the officials. The deadline for submitting the admission forms was 1 pm and many sportspersons were still seeking the officials’ signatures at the Sector 42 sports complex till 12.30 pm. The traffic on the roads following rain made the situation worse for them.

“The concerned staffer has asked us to wait. It’s already 12.30 pm and only 30 minutes are left for the deadline. We have asked our friends to reach the Government Model Senior Secondary School (Sector 37) and apply in general quota, to ensure that at least we get admission,” said a female football player.

The gradation certificate is for the two percent quota in each course for sportspersons. The category is not divided into UT Pool/General Pool. The admission in this category is only determined on the basis of the merit as per the grading criteria.