'Unsporting' marks calculation by CAC

NAGPUR: Despite the centralized admission process (CAP) having been in place for ten years now, there is still confusion over basic issues, creating problems for students. On Tuesday, admissions to city colleges started for science and commerce faculty, but officials overseeing the process were divided on whether marks for sports should be added to the student's final ranking or not.
Errol D'Souza, a parent, said the centralized admissions committee (CAC) allotted his son a different college even though he was eligible for Ambedkar college. "My son had got 99.4% after adding the sports marks. The CAC allotted him Hislop College and denied admission in Ambedkar, saying his sports marks are not counted since my son is a student of CBSE. But this information is not mentioned anywhere on the admission forms that we got, so how are we supposed to know?"
TOI verified that the form for bifocal faculty mentions that extra marks for sports will be considered. It does not mention any special condition regarding the board from where the student studied. In forms for science and commerce, there is no information on sports marks, thus adding to the confusion.
"I have been running from pillar to post and my son is still without admission anywhere," D'Souza said.
Manisha Mahatme, a CAC employee, said, "According to a state GR, sports marks will be added only for students of state board in science and commerce. The CBSE students are not eligible for this." Mahatme could not produce the said GR.
Meanwhile, her senior contradicted her claim completely. Shalikram Kukde, science consultant to CAC, said marks for CBSE students are added if the student has played any sport at the state and national level.
Kukde said, "If a CBSE student wants his sports marks to be added, he has to have an undertaking by the principal and the sports officer. Sports marks for any board are added as long as it is signed by the sports officer of state or national level. Even though it is not mentioned in the form, it is valid if marks increase due to sports participation."
When asked why CAC employees were telling otherwise to students, Kukde said, "There are many employees in CAC. There is a chance that some of them may not have understood the rules properly."