These youngsters are not part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Swachh Bharat campaign but they are wielding the brooms to score marks in an exam and enhance knowledge.
These 40–odd final year students of Master of Physical Education of Acharya Nagarjuna University (ANU) are bringing the newly-laid track to shape by removing twigs and pebbles for the benefit of athletes taking part in the 30th Jio National Athletic championship at the IGMC Stadium, which begins from November 26.
They spent the entire day cleaning the track and making the pits ready for the mega multi-discipline event. In fact they will play a crucial role assisting the technical committee of the event for the next six days.
“Some marks are allotted in the District Selection Commission exam conducted by the State government. We are here to learn how a national event is staged. We will get the first hand experience of the implementation of various rules, laws, regulations and other technical aspects,” said Sudhakar, a final year student.
He said the knowledge the students get will be helpful once they get a job in colleges and educational institutions as physical education teachers. “One has to be thorough with technical knowledge before taking up a job as a physical education teacher,” he added.
Mr. Ramana, another student, said that athletic associations too offered jobs on completion of course as technical experts.
ANU Physical Director U. Kishore said that after completion of course students also can join as fitness trainers in various sports associations and as personal fitness trainers at gymnasiums. “Some of them have joined as faculty members in universities. Health conscious among the modern-day generation has opened several opportunities to the students of the physical education.”
He said physical education was the most-sought after course and the overwhelming response to PECET (Physical Education Common Entrance Test) every year is an indicator. “The ratio has always been 1:7. In fact the course is in demand in universities all over the country.”