Sports Ministry finalizes new Criteria for Arjuna Awards

Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has finalized the criteria for giving Arjuna Award to the sportspersons. The criteria would be applicable for selection of sportspersons for Arjuna Awards for the year 2014 onwards. Following is the new criteria:

90 % weightage will be given for the medals won in various International championships and sports events of the disciplines covered in Olympic Games (Summer, Winter and Paralympics), Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.   Points for winning medals will be given to each eligible sportsperson for his/her performance during the last 4 years as per marks given in the table below:

 

S. No.

Event

Medal

Gold

Silver

Bronze

1

World  Championship/World Cup (once in 4 years)

40

30

20

2

Asian Games

30

25

20

3

Commonwealth Games

25

20

15

4

World Championship/World Cup (biennial/annual)

25

20

15

5

Asian Championship

15

10

7

6

Commonwealth Championship

15

10

7

Equivalence of any other sports discipline/tournament, not listed above, will be decided by the Selection Committee with reference to above-mentioned six categories of sports tournaments and the points will be allotted accordingly.

 

90 marks will be given to the sportsperson getting maximum points as computed in the table above. Rest of the sportspersons will be given marks proportionately to the said sportsperson. For example, if a sportsperson `A` has got highest points say 45 points as per the table  above and  another  sportsperson `B` has got 40 points as per the table above, then `A` will get 90 marks and `B` will get ( 90 x 40 /45 )  = 80  marks.

10 % weightage will be given to the marks given by the Selection Committee for assessment of the eligible sportsperson keeping in view factors like profile and standard of the sports events in which he or she has won medals and qualities like leadership, sportsmanship, team sprit, fair play,  sense of discipline.

Winners of medals in Olympics and Paralympics will automatically be considered for Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna or Arjuna Awards, depending on the type of medal won, if they have already not been conferred with either of the two Awards.

For cricket and indigenous games, not  included in Olympic / Asian Games / Commonwealth Games disciplines, the Selection Committee will recommend the number of awards, (not exceeding two),  to be given for Cricket/Indigenous Games and recommend the sportspersons taking into consideration their individuals performances and qualities of sportsman spirit, leadership, sense of discipline etc.

Ordinarily, not more than one award will be given in each discipline in a particular year subject to deserving sportspersons being available. Adequate representation would be insured for physically challenged and women.

The principle of one award per discipline will not be applicable in case of team sports and across gender. That is to say that, the Selection Committee may recommend, in deserving cases with proper justification, more than one sportsperson in respect of team sports and sportspersons of both the genders.

Normally not more than 15 awards could be given in any calendar year. However, keeping in view the performance of Indian sportspersons in the Commonwealth, Asian Games and Olympic Games during a particular year and for the reasons given in para 7 above, Selection Committee may recommend more than 15 sportspersons for Arjuna Award.

In a particular sports discipline, names of not more than 4 sportspersons (2 male and 2 female) with the highest marks as per the criteria brought out in the table above will be considered by the Selection Committee.

Sometimes, the Selection Committee may feel that as per  the given criteria, a very deserving sportsperson may not get Arjuna Award. In such a situation, it may recommend such name giving full justification in writing.

Selection Committee will recommend the final list of sportspersons for Arjuna Awards as per the marks obtained in terms of the criteria indicated above.

The recommendations of Selection Committee will be placed before the Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports for the final decision.