Himachal Chief Minister Announces New CBSE School, Says Athletes Will Benefit From 'Special Leave' Policy
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Wednesday announced that a new CBSE-affiliated school will soon be set up in Sarkaghat, aimed at expanding quality academic opportunities for students in the region.
The announcement came during his visit to a girls' sports hostel in the Sarkaghat constituency of Mandi district, where he interacted with athletes and assured them of enhanced training facilities.
In a student-friendly move, the Chief Minister also said that students representing the state or country at national and international sports events would no longer be marked absent. Instead, they will be placed on 'special leave', in line with guidelines by the School Games Federation of India (SGFI).
"Instructions have already been sent to the teaching staff," Sukhu said, emphasising his government's commitment to balancing academics with athletics.
Before the visit, reviewed the damage caused by recent heavy rains in the region and directed the deputy commissioner to expedite relief measures for affected families.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
FYJC admissions play spoilsport in holding school sports contests
PUNE: Delays and uncertainty in the Class 11 (first year junior college) admission process have caused significant disruptions in the scheduling and organisation of school-level sports competitions in Maharashtra to the extent that while tournaments for the under-14 and under-17 age groups are in their final planning stage, there is now a strong possibility that competitions for the under-19 category may be postponed, according to officials from the District Sports Office. Delays and uncertainty in FYJC admission process have caused significant disruptions in scheduling and organisation of school-level sports competitions in Maharashtra. ((PIC FOR REPRESENTATION)) Officials revealed that the ongoing Class 11 admissions – slated to continue till August 1 – have directly affected the planning of school sports events, particularly for the under-19 age group. As many students in the under-19 category fall in this academic bracket, their participation and registration in competitions has been delayed. Consequently, while online registrations for the under-14 and under-17 age groups have already begun and the district sports officer has set a deadline of July 25 for the same, an extension of the registration deadline is being considered for the under-19 age group. Jagannath Lakde, an official from the District Sports Office (Pune), said, 'Since the Class 11 admission process is underway, we are unable to complete the registration process for the under-19 age group. We are therefore planning to extend the registration period. Meanwhile, the registration deadline for schools and students in the under-14 and under-17 categories has been set as July 25. There are a total 49 sporting events in the school games, and each school and college should ensure that every student participates in at least one sport. This participation can also be beneficial for students later in terms of grace marks and overall development.' Ritika Jadhav, a Class 11 student and sprinter from a Pune-based junior college, said, 'I've been preparing for the under-19 athletics events for the past few months, but the delay in admissions has left everything uncertain. We don't even know when the trials or selections will take place. It is frustrating because these competitions are crucial not just for experience but also for grace marks and future sports scholarships. I hope that the authorities finalise the schedule soon so that we can focus on our performance and not be stuck in limbo.' The National School Games (NSG) are conducted every year by the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) under the Sports Authority of India. Students have to qualify through competitions held at the taluka, district, divisional, and state levels across 49 different sports disciplines to represent Maharashtra at the national level. Typically, tournaments for the under-14, under-17, and under-19 categories begin in July every year. This year however, none of the competitions have commenced despite July drawing to a close. Meanwhile, officials have noted that many schools and colleges are not actively encouraging their students to participate in these competitions. Former athletes and sports professionals have called for a statewide campaign to be conducted at every school playground, making it mandatory for every student to engage in at least one sport to help foster a strong sporting culture and holistic development among the youth.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
17-yr-old Unnati from Rohtak stuns double Olympic medallist Sindhu at China Open
Rohtak: In a major upset at the BWF Super 1000 China Open 2025, Unnati Hooda, 17, knocked out double Olympic medallist in the pre-quarterfinals. Hooda prevailed 21-19, 19-21, 21-13, ending Sindhu's campaign and sealing a quarter-final berth where she will face Japan's Akane Yamaguchi. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The all-Indian round of 16 clash was a gritty, seesaw battle. Hooda edged the opening game 21-19 with bold net play and sharp counter-attacks. Sindhu hit back to level the match 21-19 in the second, but the decider was one-way traffic as Hooda accelerated decisively to claim it 21-13. Hooda hails from Chamaria village in Rohtak. She began playing badminton at the age of seven, inspired and supported by her father Upkar Hooda, a badminton enthusiast, who enrolled her at the Chhotu Ram Stadium Badminton Academy. According to coach Pravesh Kumar, she started with "gali badminton" and quickly graduated to winning district-level titles after a brief period of formal coaching. Seeing a bright future in badminton, Upkar, her father, quit his regular job in a govt college to fulfil the dream of his daughter, who then started playing at the state level. Her journey with Sindhu also has a symbolic beginning: the first time they met was when Hooda clinched gold at the JBC Cup in Delhi, where Sindhu was the chief guest and presented her with the medal. Later, Hooda was part of the Uber Cup 2022 Indian squad, which Sindhu led. She cleared her Class 12 CBSE board exams this year, and her father is currently accompanying her in China. Talking to TOI, Upkar Hooda, who is currently in China with his daughter, said that Unnati's rise came during the Covid period when everyone was locked inside. His daughter did not miss even a single day, but they finished their training before the break of the day in the dark at the stadium and later played matches indoors without catching the attention of authorities. "We maintained social distance and all necessary precautions but did not miss any single day. Unnati kept growing, and today is a big day for the family as she beat her idol PV Sindhu in the China Open series."
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
World University Games fallout: Ministry plans to revamp AIU, SGFI
Representatonal Image New Delhi: The govt is considering disbanding the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) and School Games Federation of India (SGFI) over alleged irregularities in their functioning and administrative mismanagement, sources told TOI on Tuesday. With the govt set to introduce the 'National Sports Governance Bill 2025' in Parliament on Wednesday, there was a growing demand in the sports ministry's corridors to establish two new national federations with a professional setup for school and university games, replacing both administratively-marred incumbent sports bodies. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'Yes, there's a thought to disband both AIU and SGFI and put two new sports federations in place after holding proper elections and having a right set of people. The ministry has been receiving a lot of complaints from athletes on how AIU and SGFI function. It will take some time, but with a new sports bill around, which will soon become an Act, the time has come to bring more accountability into the functioning of these two bodies,' a ministry official said. 'Both AIU and SGFI are key to India's sporting progress, as they nurture and identify talent at the grassroots level. They play an important role in shaping the country's sports future. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas in Dubai | Search Ads Get Info Undo Sadly, both have failed in their duties,' the source added. The development has come at a time when six Indian badminton players were barred from the World University Games (WUG) in Rhine-Ruhr, Germany, over an alleged administrative lapse. Originally, a total of 12 players were selected and sent to represent India, but only six were allowed to compete as officials failed to submit all names correctly during the managers' meeting on July 16. Sources alleged that the players who topped the trials were left out of the badminton team despite being part of the squad. The AIU is the nodal body for university level sports in the country. Similarly, India couldn't field an entry in the women's 10,000m and 400m as long-distance runner Seema along with two others and sprinter Devyaniba Zala's names were missing from the start list due to an official error. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
