On August 3, a Bill to establish National Sports University in Manipur was passed in the Lok Sabha. Several MPs agreed that sports education is necessary for the all-around and complete development of the students.
The National Sports University Bill, 2018, replaced an ordinance passed earlier this year in May. The debate on the bill began on Wednesday when RSP MP N.K. Premchandran questioned the reason for passing the ordinance. He said that a university should be autonomous, but the Bill defies autonomy to this institution and thus it will be under the Central government’s control.
In the Lok Sabha, Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said that the total cost of setting up the sports university in Manipur will be ₹524 crore; the institute will promote sports coaching and research.
Sportsperson will be appointed as the vice chancellor and the academic council will also consist of sports people, said Rathore.
The Bill seeks to establish a sports university which will provide special sports education in various fields like sports sciences, sports technology, sports management and sports coaching, reporter PTI.
The bill also allows the university to set up ‘outlying campuses’ throughout the country and abroad. It said, “Apart from academic programmes and research, the university and its Outlying Campuses’ will also impart training to elite athletes, sports officials, referees, and umpires and evolve as centres of excellence in the various discipline of sports”, reported PTI.
To provide better facilities, the Centre has signed an agreement with Australian universities–University of Canberra and Victoria University for development of curriculum, research facilities and laboratories, reporter PTI.
Rathore said that all the medal winners were funded from the National Sports Development Fund where any citizen can contribute. He said stipend was increased for the sportspersons, besides providing them with an allowance for other expenses. The salary of the coaches have also been hiked, said the Sports Minister.