Government ignorance robs physically challenged boy of a CET seat

BANGALORE: Physically challenged athlete Shishir K Deep was in for a shock on Wednesday when the CET Cell informed him he isn’t eligible for a seat under the sports quota.
Shishir, 18, who hoped to fulfill his dream during the verification of documents, was distraught when an official of the department of youth services and sports (DYSS) informed him he wouldn’t figure under the sports quota because the Paralympics Committee of India is not among the 60 national sports federations recognized by the Union sports ministry.
Shishir, a badminton player, has a congenitally deformed foot. His preferences include engineering and ayurveda, his mother Geeta Lingaraju says.
He was shown the CET manual, which has the list of recognized sports and games, and told that his certificates were of no value.
The problem, apparently, lies elsewhere. All along, sources say, the DYSS was in the wrong as the list in the manual did not contain recent updates.
A student of Vijaya Vitthala Composite PU College, Mysore, Shishir, was told that the paralympics body had been derecognized by the government and hence was not on the list. But the truth is, the sources say, that while the Paralympics Committee had been derecognized in March 2011 for alleged irregularities and poor management of the sport, it had returned to the mainstream in November.
Shishir, who plays in the STU-5 category, was a multiple medal winner — gold in doubles and silver in singles — in the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports (IWAS) World Games held in Bangalore in 2009.
The CET Cell washed its hands of the issue saying the list of federations had been provided by the DYSS director. Only he or his nominee is the final authority to decide on the candidate’s eligibility under the sports quota.
“The list is updated by the DYSS, and CET Cell carries the list given by the department. Every year, we ask for comments and an updated list is given by them. If the child in the controversy is really differently abled, he/she should have appeared before the panel that verified the disability for all candidates two days ago. The 3% quota is reserved for the differently abled, said PU commissioner Rashmi V Mahesh.
Every year, these seats remain vacant and are given to general-quota students. The DYSS should be asked these questions. They will be in better position to reply,” said PU commissioner Rashmi V Mahesh.
His mother Geeta Lingaraju said: “Is it our mistake that the government has not updated its list? I was told that the sport had been derecognized by the central government and that we try our luck next year. Why should my son lose a year only because of somebody’s error?”