Nagpur University has landed in a major controversy after its physical education department decided to abruptly discontinue eight major sporting disciplines. The decision, taken even as the Vidarbha region actively promotes athletics through events like the Khasdar Krida Mahotsav, has sparked outrage and allegations of procedural violations within the university's senate.
Senate Questions Abrupt Discontinuation of Medal-Winning Sports
The issue came to light on Friday when senate members sharply questioned the university administration. Responding to a query raised by member Ajay Chavan, the administration admitted that the sports of mini golf, skating, karate, rugby, wushu, floorball, canoeing, kayaking, and woodball were dropped. The official reason cited was a lack of sufficient participating students.
This justification, however, was met with immediate skepticism and anger. Members pointed out that these very disciplines had previously brought glory to the university by winning medals at All-India inter-university competitions. They demanded to know how sports with a proven track record of success could be scrapped without a compelling and transparent rationale.
Allegations of Fake Documents and Violation of Past Orders
The controversy deepened as senators revealed that a similar proposal to cut these sports had been rejected in the past. They noted that the former Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Siddharthvinayak Kane, had earlier revoked an identical plan and had explicitly ordered for all eight sports to continue.
The matter escalated dramatically when senate members alleged that the Physical Education Board had attached a fake letter claiming approval from the university's management council to legitimize its decision. Former management council member Vishnu Changde confirmed the grave allegation, stating that the council had issued no such approval for discontinuing the sports.
This led to serious accusations against the Board, with members charging it with submitting false documents and acting in blatant violation of established university procedures.
Vice-Chancellor Orders Committee to Investigate
Faced with mounting demands for a thorough inquiry into the entire episode, the current Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Manali Kshirsagar, intervened. To address the serious allegations and unravel the truth, Dr. Kshirsagar ordered the formation of a dedicated committee to investigate the entire episode.
The committee is expected to probe the rationale behind discontinuing the sports, the authenticity of the document presented by the Physical Education Board, and the overall decision-making process that led to this contentious move. The university community and sports enthusiasts now await the findings of this probe.
