Out-of-turn promotion for sports persons

The Central Government has decided to give out-of-turn promotion for the sportspersons who win a medal at sporting events such as Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games or a world championship.  The

This scheme would also cover sportspersons who break a national record at important domestic sporting events. Significantly, disabled sportspersons who participate at events such as the Paralympic Olympics would also be covered.  Sportspersons who bring laurels for the nation will be entitled to three such promotions in their career. Similarly, differently abled athletes will also be entitled to out-of-turn promotions if they win medals in international events. As per sports ministry

The move, that comes days before the 2012 Olympics begins in London, was initiated weeks before the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi when the department of personnel and training sought suggestions from all departments.  This scheme would help boost morale of the Indian contingent that is set to fly to London as well as others who aspire to make a career in sports.

As per sports ministry out of 81 athletes who have qualified for the Olympics, 64 work in the government or public sector undertakings.  The Indian Government is the largest employer of professional sports-persons, which has a 5% quota for sportspersons.  This will be a very positive initiative by Central Government for the sportspersons since there was no uniform policy.

A formal announcement is expected on Friday.

The Union Cabinet today approved a policy to promote sportspersons for excellence in international sports events, by giving upto three out of turn promotions in their service career for winning medals in Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and World Championships. The sportsperson winning a medal or more than one medal in a Game/Team Events/Championships in a particular year will be eligible for an out of turn promotion in that year. Further record-breaking medal winning performance in National Games will also be considered for one out of turn promotion during the service career. Two out of turn promotions will be given for performance as a Coach, if he/she has trained a sportsperson who wins a medal in international sports events. 

This would be in addition to the monetary reward scheme of the Government already in existence for all medal winners in international sports events and their coaches where the quantum of monetary rewards for individuals is upto Rs. 50 lakh for medal winning performance in Olympic Games, Asian Games and World Championships. 

The scheme for out-of-turn promotion to Sportspersons/Coaches will be framed by Department of Personnel and Training (DoP&T). The scheme will be helpful in improving the performance of individual sportsperson and will play a big role in promotion of sports among the masses. The out of turn promotion to a coach will encourage formation of pool of talent within government organizations which can be effectively utilized for training sportspersons. The proposed policy will cover all the sportspersons working with Central Government Ministries and Department. 

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