Anant Bakhale
PANJIM: The Secondary School Certificate (SSC) students this year (2017) proved that the Sports Merit Marks Scheme cannot only benefit the low grade students but also those who enjoy high rank.
Six students secured cent per cent total marks (600 out of 600) in the 2017 SSC examination conducted by the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, Alto-Betim.
This is the first time that the students could secure full aggregate marks, thanks to the sports merit marks which have been added to the grand total.
The students with sports merit marks in brackets: Laurel Ignez D’Sousa of St Anthony’s HS Monte de Guirim (42), Irvin Savio Joao of Loyola HS Margao (52), Ana Marie Braganza of People’s HS Panjim (32), Sneha Jeetendra Gaonkar of Our Lady of Rosary HS, Dona Paula (21), Gaurav Sandesh Madkaikar of AJ de Almeida HS, Ponda (42) and Tejal N Shetty of SS Indirabai V Bhat Dhavlikar HS, Dhavali, Ponda (20).
It may be recalled Sports Merit Marks Scheme approved by the government and its sports ministry was revised in December 2013.
Tejal while speaking to Herald said that it was the Sports Merit Marks Scheme that helped her score 100 per cent marks.
“My sport is archery. I have participated for the nationals twice and have also won silver medal at the State level. I scored 580 marks from my studies and 20 from sports which helped me score 600 out of 600”, Tejal said.
The new sports merit marks were allotted for participation at each and every level ranging from taluka to district, State and thereafter national and international level.Participation marks are allotted ranging from 2 to 15 depending on the level of participation.
The allotment was as follows, Taluka (2), District – Inter Zone (3), State (5), Inter State – Zonal (7), Inter State – National (10), and International (15).
Those bagging the first place will be awarded 7 marks, second place 5 marks and third place 3 marks. At the international level, 30 marks will be awarded to those securing the first place, 25 for the second place and 20 for the third place.
The final marks allotted to a student will be the sum total they have been awarded at every level. If a student wins at Taluka level, wins at District level and wins at State level he/she shall be awarded 7+10+15 = 32 marks. In case a student does participate in any tournament directly at the State level and wins without participating at the lower levels they would get only 10 marks.
While a student cannot claim multiple benefits at any given level, they can claim benefits for participation in multi discipline sports. SAG executive director V M Prabhudesai had earlier praised the scheme saying that the sports marks has become a very big help for the students and has saved many families from going into frustration, turmoil and depression.
