Yes, hence my implication that universities need to develop at least a minimal level of sports infrastructure. Most will not have the space to provide a cricket field, but I have been to many colleges in different parts of the country who have at least one decrepit basketball court and one dusty football field.SwamyG wrote:The problem with that is Universities (and Education) which is already a nasty business, across the World, will get nastier in India too. It might address the problems like you say; but will bring on newer problems. The question is do we want those problems, or can we solve the existing problems through other means.Vasu wrote:What India needs is an NCAA. Can you imagine what American higher education and professional sports would be without it?
Indian universities, at least the big ones, need to get together and start a league for a few sports, including athletics. There is great enthusiasm for sports at the high school level but come college and everything withers away. In fact, very few universities/colleges have any open sports spaces, if at all. No wonder the national college game is table tennis, and so many engineers are so good at it!
On to London!
Compared to India, the USA public do not go across the country for education - except those that go to elite colleges and universities. The population has an affinity to local school and college sports team. And these teams get attention from media. And many are revenue generation for the school & college. Once these become a revenue generation, then other issues come up.
Do we want these issues, or can we have a healthy separation and still find a solution. I do not know but would like to caution. There are definite advantages,for example it is better for a student to spend say 10 hours at a premise, with sports and academics, than spending 7 hours for academics and then traveling 2 hours to another location to practice sports for 3 hours. Hence the double caution
I am sorry I am unable to figure out what kind of nasty business you are talking about, and also what kind of new problems. You mean something like American college stars getting paid, which they are not allowed?
Of course India and USA are poles apart on this issue, with different considerations. The high level of professionalism that American college sports have achieved are after decades of growth. It takes time to form a culture.
The fact is that those decrepit courts and fields just lie like that because most universities don't even encourage casual sports and athletics. It does'nt take much to organize an inter-hostel/inter-department/inter-year tournament of any sort. Things like these keep students involved and can be nurtured to become bigger. For example, there are the Inter-IIT Games, which are taken very seriously by all the participants.
If there was something like a Ranji/Santosh Trophy for universities, i am sure it would catch on in no time.