By Our Reporter
Shillong, Nov 11: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has assured the Meghalaya Cricket Association (MCA) that its proposal seeking academic flexibility for student cricketers will be “considered very closely.”
The initiative, if approved, is also expected to benefit athletes from other recognised sports across the state.
The assurance came during a meeting between the Chief Minister and an MCA delegation in Nongpoh on Tuesday.
The delegation, led by MCA Honorary Secretary Rayonald Kharkamni, was accompanied by Adviser to the CM and Meghalaya Football Association President Hamletson Dohling, along with Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Wailadmiki Shylla. The MCA urged the government to introduce special academic arrangements for young players who struggle to balance their studies with the demanding BCCI domestic cricket schedule.
The association highlighted that school-going cricketers are often required to attend long training camps and tournaments outside the state, which frequently clash with regular classes and board examinations.
In its memorandum, the MCA proposed that student athletes representing the state be granted exemptions or alternative academic options — such as deferred examinations or internal assessments — to ensure their education is not disrupted by sporting commitments.
“This measure would greatly encourage young cricketers and ensure that their academic progress is not hampered while they bring honour to the state through their sporting achievements,” Kharkamni stated in the letter presented to the Chief Minister and Sports Minister.
The Chief Minister’s assurance has come as a major boost for Meghalaya’s sporting fraternity, which has long sought a structured policy to support student-athletes balancing academics and high-level competition.
