UGC's move to recognise Sports Science degrees praised by International Sports University

University Grants Commission (UGC) has announced to include Bachelor’s and Master’s in Sports Science and Sports Management as recognised degree options. This decision of UGC has been welcomed by the International Sports University, Maharashtra (ISUM). To be noted that the International Sports University came up last year in Pune under the aegis of the Maharashtra government.

The UGC's decision was hailed by Maharashtra Sports Minister Sunil Kedar on Saturday, February 26, 2022. He said that he is looking forward to a quantum leap in building talent, jobs, and sports IP for the long-term development of Indian sports industry through professional education.

Maharashtra Sports Minister's statement highlights

“We have had a singular vision to re-imagine and transform sports education in the country with the objective of creating skilled professionals well versed in the science and management of emerging sporting disciplines,” the minister Kedar said.

“With the International Sports University, our goal is to revolutionize sports education by incorporating different aspects of technology, management, sports governance, to produce sports professionals of the future who can advance India’s prowess in sports,” he added.

Former India cricketer Nilesh Kulkarni, who is a key consultant to the government in this project, said, “The approval for the degrees is the need of the hour if we want to make next-level progress across different domains of sports. By setting up ISUM, we aim to make rapid strides in developing carefully curated curriculum and building strategic collaborations across sectors to diversify sports learning.”

UGC releases draft guidelines for HEIs & Universities, invites suggestions

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released ‘draft comprehensive accessibility guidelines and standards’ for Higher Educational Institutions (HEI) and Universities. The draft has been prepared with an aim of ensuring that persons with disabilities (PwD) have easy access to higher education. The draft guidelines can be checked on the UGC website. Commission has asked the stakeholders to send their feedback and suggestions. The deadline to do so ends on March 7, 2022. The feedback can be sent through University Activity Monitoring Portal (UMAP).

“The National education Policy (NEP) 2020 envisages that education is the foremost primary measure to achieve economic and social mobility, inclusion and equality. The Government of India launchcd the Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan) to ensure the equal participation and inclusion of persons with disabilities in all activities,” the UGC said.