Include rugby in State School Sports Meet: panel

The Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has ordered the General Education department to introduce rugby into the State School Sports Meet. The commission emphasized the need to organize the event promptly and expressed concern over students missing out on opportunities due to rugby's exclusion. The directive followed a petition filed by Ameya Sandeep, a former under-18 girls rugby player, who argued that rugby had been part of the National School Games but not the State School Sports Meet manual.

Ameya's legal challenge led the High Court to mandate a decision within four weeks by the State government. The commission tasked the department to explore various options, including district or state-level tournaments and transparent selection trials, while ensuring the inclusion of rugby in the 2026-27 National School Games. The General Education Special Secretary, Director of General Education, sport organizer, and the State School Games joint director were all instructed to review and amend the manual accordingly.