Bodybuilding Sports Quota: Bodybuilders to Also Receive Government Jobs; Order Issued to Include the Sport Under the Sports Quota..

Major news has emerged for bodybuilding enthusiasts. The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has ordered the inclusion of bodybuilding under the 'Sports Quota' for government and semi-government jobs. The Court directed that bodybuilding be recognized as an eligible sport for the 5 percent reservation allocated under the sports quota. A bench comprising Justice Mukulika Jawalkar and Justice Nandes Deshpande delivered this verdict in response to a petition filed by Deepak Pawar.

Four Weeks Granted
The Court observed that the exclusion of bodybuilding from the State Policy of 2016 was arbitrary and constituted a violation of constitutional principles. It was the Court's clear opinion that bodybuilding is fundamentally a sub-discipline of gymnastics; therefore, it is fully eligible for inclusion in the sports quota. The Court ordered the government to amend the Government Resolution (GR) dated July 1, 2016, and to incorporate bodybuilding into it within a period of four weeks.

Exclusion of Bodybuilding
During the hearings, arguments were presented stating that while bodybuilding was included in the 2005 policy, it was subsequently removed. The Court remarked that restricting eligibility criteria solely to the Olympic, Asian, or Commonwealth Games is unjustifiable. The Court further noted that the Central Government confers the 'Arjuna Award' upon bodybuilders, a fact that unequivocally establishes the national recognition accorded to this sport.

Terming the exclusion of bodybuilding from the reservation scheme as discriminatory, the Court directed the quashing of government circulars dated October 24, 2018, and March 21, 2023. This verdict holds immense significance for individuals aspiring to build a career in the field of bodybuilding.

For a considerable period, professionals engaged in this discipline had been advocating for this very demand. They argued that, much like other sports, bodybuilding should also be included within the sports quota, thereby ensuring that aspiring bodybuilders do not have to hesitate or second-guess their decision before embarking on a career in this field.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from NDTV India. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.