The Education Department will now grant admission to its 11 sports hostels on the basis of player rankings instead of selection trials. Director of School Education Ashish Kohli said the move aims to ensure that deserving and top-performing athletes get priority admission.
He said many players, particularly from remote areas, fail to attend selection trials due to distance and other constraints. “The number of players appearing in hostel trials is often low. Several top players miss the process despite strong performances,” Kohli said. Under the new system, a selection committee will evaluate players during state-level school competitions and prepare rankings based on their performances.
The Directorate of School Education currently operates 11 sports hostels that provide specialised training to students in basketball, football, hockey, badminton, volleyball, kabaddi and boxing.