As many as 20 new disciplines including baseball, body-building, rugby, motorsports have been introduced for Central Government jobs under the sports quota, said Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Kiren Rijiju. In a written reply in Lok Sabha today, Kiren Rijiju said that the government has introduced 20 new disciplines- Baseball, Body-Building, Cycling Polo, Deaf Sports, Fencing, Kudo, Mallakhamb, Motor Sports, Net Ball, Para Sports (for sports discipline included in para-Olympics and Para Asian Games), Pencak Silat, Shooting Ball, Roll Ball, Rugby, Sepak Takraw, Soft Tennis, Tenpin Bowling, Triathlon, Tug-of-war and Wushu.

“The recruitment of meritorious sportspersons under sports quota is done as per the guidelines issued by the Department of Personnel & Training from time to time and it is applicable to only Central Government Ministries/Departments. ‘Sports’ being State subject, these instructions are not binding for State Governments,” read the reply. The minister said that the Department of Personnel & Training in consultation with the Department of Sports has included Mallakhamb, Tug of War and Roll Ball for the appointment of meritorious sportspersons under sports quota in newly introduced 20 sports disciplines. (ANI)