A significant change has been implemented for student athletes in CBSE schools across the country, including Chhattisgarh. They will no longer be able to participate in state-level school sports competitions organized by the state government. This decision comes after the School Games Federation of India (SGFI) recognized CBSE as an independent sports unit.
The new rule will come into effect from the 2025-26 academic session. According to this, athletes from schools affiliated with the CBSE board will no longer be able to showcase their sports talent at state-level platforms. They will be able to participate directly in the national competitions organized by SGFI.
However, the limited number of national platforms provided by SGFI may reduce the opportunities for many talented athletes to perform and develop. Many students in the state, including those from Bilaspur, who have excelled at the district and divisional levels, will now be affected by this new system.
SGFI had recognized CBSE as an independent unit in its 68th National Competition in the 2024-25 session. At that time, CBSE did not have a fully prepared independent sports framework, so the state government had included CBSE students in its state-level games, providing temporary relief.
Now that CBSE has developed its own independent sports system, the Chhattisgarh School Education Department has excluded CBSE students from state-level competitions based on the instructions of SGFI.
The SGFI website also clarifies that CBSE board students have independently participated and won medals in national competitions. Therefore, they are no longer eligible for state-level competitions.
This change closes off an important pathway for students to reach the state level, which could present additional challenges in taking their sports careers and talent to the national platform. Coaches and parents believe that this decision could limit the development of many skilled players.
The decision has received mixed reactions in Chhattisgarh’s sports world, and everyone’s attention is now focused on how CBSE expands its independent sports framework so that students can be fully prepared to compete at the national level.
