BU sending untrained clerks as coaches for teams in national sports tourneys

Bhopal: The physical education department of Barkatullah University (BU) has been sending clerks as coaches and managers for different teams to participate in national tournaments. Surprisingly, most of these ‘beneficiaries’ do not have any connection with the sport they are sent to supervise and assist the players.In response to an RTI query by Dharmendra Singh Gour, the BU admitted that it has been sending class 3 employees and clerks of the department as coaches and managers of different teams. Incidentally, few of these employees are under the scanner over irregular appointments and are working for over 25 years in the varsity. A single member retired judge committee is looking into the ‘irregular appointments’ of 163 employees that includes these employees, as well.As per BU’s rule, only a person who is related to a particular sport can be selected as coach and manager of the team so that he can help the team and other coaching staff in a better way. However, BU seems to have forgotten its own rule.BU has been sending teams to represent the university in various inter-university and national university championships. RTI activist Dharmendra Singh Gour told TOI that, “department is sending babus and clerks as coaches and managers of the teams. The sports officer in BU, RK Kaushik, is a one stop solution for all— he has been accompanying the malkhamb, boxing, cricket, chess, wrestling, karate, hockey, tennis and many other teams as per the RTI reply,” he said.Incidentally, it is alleged that Kaushik has been regularly accompanying teams participating in the events organized in Rajasthan.Similarly, there are other officials like Anil Tanwar and Mukesh Sharma, who have been accompanying various teams, he alleged. “Tanwar is a technical assistant, while Sharma is a class 3 employee. Sharma has been going with the teams of kayaking and canoeing and Tanwar has been given the charge of table tennis as per the RTI reply. What is their connection with these games,” asked the activist.When contacted, director (incharge) of sports, Prof Alok Mishra, said that things are being improved. “The work distribution has been revised to ensure better transparency,” he said.