IIT Madras admits 5 athletes under sports quota for the first time in history. Internet is divided

IIT Madras is the first IIT in the country to introduce admissions for athletes under the sports category in its undergraduate programmes.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has admitted five athletes under its new ‘Sports Excellence Admission’ (SEA) category for the academic year 2024-25. With this, the institution became the first IIT in the country to introduce admissions for athletes under the sports category in its undergraduate programmes.

“Sports Excellence Admission is an initiative of IIT Madras primarily to send the important message that children must be encouraged to play. I sincerely hope this reaches everyone,” stated IIT Madras director V Kamakoti.

In a video shared on X, the head of Center of Excellence in Sports Science and Analytics (CESSA), professor Mahesh Panchagnula, said: "The SEA program ensures no compromise on academic merit while rewarding sports excellence. It is a step towards making sports mainstream and leveraging technology to enhance athletes' performance.”

The athletes selected for admission at IIT Madras are:
1.) Arohi Bhave (Volleyball, Maharashtra)
2.) Aryaman Mandal (Water Polo/Swimming, West Bengal)
3.) Nandini Jain (Squash, Delhi)
4.) Prabhav Gupta (Table Tennis, Delhi)
5.) Vedavachan Reddy (Lawn Tennis, Andhra Pradesh)

The news received a mixed response on social media. While a section of users lauded the encouragement given to qualified and aspiring athletes, others wondered if their flair in sports would make them equally capable of handling academic pressure at IIT.

"It's inspiring to see IIT Madras leading the way by integrating sports excellence into academic admissions," wrote X user Pruthivin Reddy (@pruthivinreddy). "This initiative not only supports athletes but also promotes a well-rounded educational environment. Kudos to IIT Madras for setting a precedent that could transform the landscape of sports and education."

"IITs represent the pinnacle of intellectual excellence and technological innovation. The inclusion of a sports quota dilutes this focus, creating challenges for both intellectual aspirants and sportspersons," commented Rakesh C (@RakeshC38859728). "IITs are tailored to foster intellectual and technological talents. Introducing sports quotas risks placing individuals in an environment mismatched with their primary strengths, making it difficult for them to thrive academically."