State sports council yet to appoint permanent coaches

Vikas Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, August 22

The J&K State Sports Council is yet to initiate a major recruitment drive for the appointment of coaches on a permanent basis.

In July, the sports council, however, appointed more than 200 coaches for a one-year term after they completed an eight-week special certificate course in sports coaching from the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, Patiala, under the Prime Minister’s special package.

A sports expert said: “The appointment of youth as coaches after completion of their course from the prestigious sports institute of the country is a welcome step but no criteria was fixed while sending the aspirants for training.”

“To seek admission at the Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, Patiala, a candidate should be a graduate and have participated or won medals at the state, national or the international level,” the expert said.

Sources claimed that the first major recruitment by the sports council was held in 1998 when more than 20 qualified coaches were recruited.

They said MA Stadium, the premier sports training centre in Jammu, had been witnessing a heavy rush of trainees but the strength of the coaches remained same.

“There has been no appointment of new coaches on a permanent basis. Even the posts which fell vacant after some coaches retired were not filled for a long time. There are many sports training centres, but most of the trainees prefer to take admission at MA Stadium because the other centres lack both coaches and facilities,” sources claimed.

“After 1998, the recruitment of coaches on a permanent basis was done by the autonomous sports body on a small scale in 2005 and 2013. Since then, no permanent coaches have been appointed,” they said.

Sources further said that 207 appointments of coaches, including 57 from Jammu division, were approved by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Sports Minister Imran Raza Ansari in July this year. The coaches were appointed in the disciplines of cricket, football, handball, basketball and judo.

Joint Secretary, State Sports Council, Shiv Kumar Sharma said: “Yes, around 207 appointments were made by the sports council to utilise their services at training centres across the state.”

When asked about the initiatives taken by the sports body to appoint coaches on a permanent basis, Shiv Kumar said: “A few months ago, interviews were held for the post of coaches.”

Major recruitment drive held in 1998

• The first major recruitment by the J&K State Sports Council was held in 1998 when more than 20 qualified coaches were recruited
• After 1998, the recruitment of coaches on a permanent basis was done by the sports body on a small scale in 2005 and 2013. Since then, no permanent coaches have been appointed