HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court has ruled that sportspersons who have participated in Senior Nationals, Junior Nationals or All India University competitions are eligible for recruitment to Group-I services under the 2% sports quota.
Hearing a batch of petitions filed by more than 25 sportspersons, Justice Namavarapu Rajeshwar Rao directed the Telangana State Public Service Commission (TGPSC) to release the results of the petitioners and fill the vacancies if they are found eligible as per the prescribed norms.
Out of the 563 Group-I posts recently notified, four (2%) are reserved under the sports quota.
The court also issued guidelines for implementing the quota, faulting the Commission’s earlier decision to consider only candidates who participated in international events.
Terming the move discriminatory and a misinterpretation of policy, the court observed that such restrictions undermine the objective of encouraging sportspersons through reservation.
Referring to the practice of insisting on specific forms meant for verifying international sports credentials, the court clarified that these forms are intended only to confirm the genuineness of sports certificates, and not as an eligibility criterion.
“Every candidate must submit the prescribed forms to prove the genuineness of the certificates issued by competent authorities, but not a specific form for a specific post,” the court noted.
Emphasising the true spirit of the sports quota, the court said that authorities must adhere strictly to the eligibility norms and avoid comparing candidates as ‘more’ or ‘less’ meritorious based on the level of their sporting achievements. Such distinctions, it said, defeat the very purpose of reservation for sportspersons.
The court directed the TGPSC to implement the quota in letter and spirit and ensure that all eligible sportspersons are given due opportunity in the ongoing recruitment.
It also clarified that if the posts have already been filled, existing appointments shall not be disturbed. However, in all future recruitments, authorities must strictly follow Annexures I and II while implementing the 2% sports quota.