Maharashtra Revamps 5% Sports Quota In Govt Jobs; Online Certificates, Blockchain Verification Made Mandatory

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has revamped the 5% parallel reservation for sportspersons in government and semi-government jobs, making online certification through the ‘Krida e-Praman’ portal and blockchain-based verification mandatory to prevent the use of fake sports certificates. The School Education and Sports Department issued a new Government Resolution on Monday, replacing all earlier orders governing sports quota recruitment.

QR Code Certificates Mandatory

Under the revised system, candidates applying for government jobs under the sports quota will have to submit certificates generated through the Krida e-Praman platform. The certificates will carry a unique QR code and digital signature to facilitate verification.

The government has also put the onus on sports organisations to ensure timely uploading of competition-related data. Organisations will have to upload final results and details of participating sportspersons on the portal within 30 days of completion of a competition. Those failing to meet the deadline will be automatically included in a ‘defaulter’ list.

Three Months For Online Verification

Sportspersons who had their certificates verified through the earlier offline system have been given three months to complete online verification through the new platform.

The revised policy specifies the sports that will qualify for the reservation. It covers disciplines that have been part of at least three consecutive Olympic Games since 2005, besides popular Maharashtra sports such as kabaddi, kho-kho, chess, mallakhamb and cricket. Competitions in the under-17 category will not be considered for the quota.

The government has also introduced practical skill tests in cases where a candidate’s sports credentials are disputed or raise serious doubts. A special committee may conduct a physical assessment, with the proceedings video-recorded and stored on a cloud platform for verification.

Eligible sportspersons will be entitled to up to five years’ relaxation in the prescribed upper age limit for government recruitment. The maximum age limit has been fixed at 43 years, while eligible persons with disabilities can avail themselves of relaxation up to 45 years.

The government said the measures are aimed at improving transparency and ensuring that genuine sportspersons receive the benefits of the reservation.

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