It’s all about Sports  vs. Academics

Should India’s World Cup winning captain be penalized for playing for his country?

Unmukt Chand with the World Cup

Kunwar Abhishek Bhagat

Dt. 30-08-2012, Delhi

India under 19 team captain Unmukt Chand denied for promotion in the Second year of his bachelor of Arts course by St. Stephen college, as he failed to accumulate the minimum attendance which is required by the college.

Indian Senior Team captain also tweeted that "Marks for sports take a back seat... attendance for now takes centre stage, This shows how much importance sports has in India... sad to hear."

Vice-president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and Union Minister, Rajiv Shukla, said it was an internal matter of the college. He, however, appealed to St Stephen's authorities to consider Unmukt as a special case.

"I appeal to St Stephen's to take a considerate view on Unmukt. But I understand that it is an internal matter. The college is autonomous. But I am making this appeal," Shukla said.  

College principal Valsan Thampu defended his institution, saying that he is simply following the rules. He denied discrimination on part of the college management and added it was the Delhi University vice-chancellor's prerogative to decide whether or not to promote Unmukt despite his poor attendance.

Further, Thampu said Unmukt had attended only eight percent classes and as per rules his minimum attendance should have been at least one-third of the total classes.

Ironically, the young star was admitted to the college under the sports quota and his academic record has also been good. In May, he was not allowed to give his second semester exam until the Delhi High Court intervened. He eventually gave the exam and scored 62 per cent marks. His lawyer says the college was aware of the BCCI and DDCA schedules.

Unmukt had recently scored an unbeaten century in the under-19 World Cup final against Australia to lift the trophy for India.