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Good job prospects for students into sports

It is not only people like Team India skipper MS Dhoni, who can make it big. Hundreds of students who take up sports along with studies also can make great careers, if not making into international teams.

Sports is an integral part of holistic development of a child which can also help in getting entry into top notch educational institute and provide chance for making big into sports or academics or both, experts say. From table tennis to badminton and kabaddi to volleyball, sports persons get absorbed by public sector companies like ONGC, Railways and by IT firms, they point out.

Director, physical education department, Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV-Indore) MI Qureshi says, "It is important for parents to find interest of their kids in any sport. Parents should motivate kids for sports apart from studies."

Qureshi says that education is not complete if a kid is good at only academics. Sport activities help setting target, build perseverance and develop a team spirit. "Those who are good in sports achieve success leaps and bounds. In 41 years, I have seen sports persons making career in army, air force, NGOs. Every year, 20-30 sportsmen apply for jobs in public or private sector. At DAVV, we give weight age to sports persons in admission in various teaching departments," says Qureshi.

There are 27-28 games recognized by Association of Indian Universities (AIU) on the basis of which entry is given to universities and colleges. General secretary of MP Table Tennis Association and a coach, Jayesh Acharya, said, "Last year, six table-tennis players got central government jobs. In last two years good job opportunities have come up. Even those who take up sports get national and international scholarships."

Wrestler Kripashankar Patel who is now employed with Indian Railways, said, "Haryana police have fixed quota for sportsmen at officer′s level, which is attracting people to sports. But, MP government is not giving attention to promote sportsmen. If it does than there is no dearth of good players in the state."

Qureshi however advices that pushing a child to a particular sport for securing job or admission in colleges may not be right even if sports quota helps in getting entry into reputed colleges and companies.