The Delhi government has directed sports academies functioning from state-run schools, clubs, and individual trainers to coach more students of government schools. According to a circular issued by the Directorate of Education dated September 2, during visits to these academies it was observed that the training was mostly being provided to paid students and the number of government school students was small.

“…that, almost all the academies/clubs/individual trainers were found providing training and coaching to paid students only and there is a very small number of government schools students who are getting training and coaching in these centres and thus not following the terms and conditions of the scheme,” it said. It added that this act of these academies, clubs, and individual trainers is defeating the main purpose of the scheme”.

The Directorate of Education has been running a scheme for broad-basing of sports at the grassroots level by involving various academies, clubs, and individual trainers in the localities of Delhi for imparting training and coaching free of cost to government school students.

“Simultaneously, they can also impart training and coaching to student players of nearby non-government schools, on a reasonable charge basis. However, the ratio of student players for receiving training should be 50:50 of government school/government-aided schools/non-aided government recognised school students and non-government school student players,” the circular read.

Under the scheme, space and infrastructure are provided by government schools, where the academies can free of cost train students of that particular school along with other schools in the area. There are currently 50 academies, clubs, and individual trainers imparting coaching in a number of sports disciplines at different Delhi government schools.

To provide the full benefit of the scheme to students of government schools, aided schools and non-aided government recognised schools, the Directorate of Education issued a number of directions to the Heads of School (HoS) where such academies are being run. “…to display a board on the proper place–preferably at the entry gate of the building showing the name of the academy, name of the game and the facilities being provided in the academy,” it said.

The HoS was also directed to “motivate the students of his/her school and coordinate with the HoS of nearby government schools to use the facility available in the academy”. It also asked the deputy directors of education (DDE) to call meetings with HoS in a routine interval to give wide publicity of the scheme”.

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