Bindra-led task force rejects plan to make NIS Patiala National Sports Academy
Asked to evaluate the idea of broad-basing Patiala's prestigious National Institute of Sports as an academy for training of sports administrators, a Sports Ministry-instituted Task Force chaired by Olympic hero Abhinav Bindra has rejected the proposal, calling it a "restrictive and unsustainable" plan.
The Task Force on Capacity Building of Sports Administrators was constituted under Bindra, the 2008 Olympic gold-winning former rifle shooter, by the Sports Ministry to design a "future-ready, sustainable, and professional governance system for Indian sport".
It was also mandated to assess the idea of establishing a National Academy for Sports at NS NIS (Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports) in Patiala which would be dedicated to "capacity building" of sports administrators.
The NS NIS is a highly-rated training facility for boxing, weightlifting, and athletics besides being a premier institute for diplomas in coaching.
"While the idea of a single National Academy is well-intentioned, it risks becoming restrictive and unsustainable," the nine-member panel noted.
"While NSNIS is rightly regarded as the premier institute for sports coaching, its privileged status has also created unintended consequences. Recruiters in Central and State services, as well as PSUs, tend to give preference almost exclusively to NSNIS-trained coaches, limiting opportunities for graduates of other credible institutions," it pointed out.
"In some cases, even internationally certified coaches are not considered eligible for government or PSU roles. Designating NSNIS as the National Academy for Sports Administrators risks replicating this imbalance in the field of sports governance," it added.
The Task Force felt such "exclusivity" could stifle the growth of other universities and institutes offering sports management programmes by "concentrating recognition and opportunity too narrowly."
The panel recommended instead of being turned it into an academy, the NIS should be "empanelled" as one of the key institutions delivering modules for building administrative capacity.
"...India's scale and diversity demand a networked model, where NSNIS plays a leading but not singular role, complemented by multiple institutions that together build a broad, inclusive, and sustainable ecosystem for sports administration," it said.
"...investing in a network of institutions spreads resources more effectively, creates multiple access points across the country, and ensures far greater impact in both scale and reach."
Inclusivity and Scale
The Task Force felt that a single National Academy would also risk creating a "monopoly of credentialing."
"Given the size and diversity of India, and the current maturity of the Indian sports ecosystem, it is imperative that multiple institutions are empowered to deliver capacity-building programmes in order to ensure scale, inclusivity, and regional reach."
Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, while talking about the report, said "a revamp of the course structure at the NIS could definitely be considered" to keep up with the changing demands of coaching internationally.
