Only three of the 140 aspirants reportedly made the cut in the BCCI’s level-2 exam for umpires held last month in Ahmedabad.
The cut-off was 90 marks out of 200 (100 for the written test, 35 for viva and video, and 30 for the physical). Physical tests were included for the first time since the pandemic. The video test included match footage and questions on umpiring in specific situations.
Clearing the exam will allow them to officiate women’s and junior matches categorised as Group D—a step towards making of an Elite BCCI umpire who can stand in international games.
“Umpiring is a tough job. Only those who have the passion for it can really excel. The candidates sent by state associations weren’t upto the mark. They need to have this knowledge if they want to do the board’s games,” a BCCI official told The Indian Express.
According to the board official, the focus of the exam was on testing practical reasoning rather than theoretical knowledge.
The exam is part of the board’s measures to raise the standard of Indian umpires after repeated complaints of their poor quality in the domestic circuit, especially in IPL.
