Online system to fast-track sports quota marks for SSC, HSC students

Pune: The state school education department has streamlined the process of awarding sports grace marks to Secondary School Certificate (SSC, Std X) and Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC, Std XII) students. By digitising the system, the process has been made faster, more transparent, and significantly less cumbersome—bringing major relief to student athletes across Maharashtra.The state govt grants concession marks to student athletes under its sports policy to promote a strong sporting culture.Under a newly issued government resolution (GR), students seeking the benefit of sports quota marks must apply online between Jan 1 and April 15 each year. Importantly, the service has been brought under the ambit of the Service Guarantee Act, mandating authorities to complete the process within 15 days of receiving an application.Officials said the move aims to encourage sports participation while eliminating delays that often discourage students."The revised system will drastically cut down the time required for verification and approval of sports marks. It reflects a shift towards efficient and student-friendly governance," said district sports officer Jagannath Lakade.The reform follows concerns raised by sports bodies, including the Maharashtra Olympic Association, regarding procedural delays and excessive documentation. Drawing on the state's Aaple Sarkar portal, authorities have redesigned the system to reduce administrative hurdles.As part of the simplification, the number of fields in the application form has been reduced from 29 to 21. Similarly, the number of mandatory documents has been cut from eight to six. Key student details — name, date of birth, gender, address and school—will now be auto-fetched from the examination hall ticket, further easing the process.Education department officials emphasised that a timely application is crucial. "Students must ensure they submit their applications before April 15 to secure recommendations from district sports officers. Any delay could lead to disqualification from availing the benefit," said Dipak Mali, secretary of the state board.