Why Did Delhi University Remove Ball Badminton from Sports Quota in 2019?

 Ball Badminton has been played in Delhi University (DU) for many years, with students participating in inter-college competitions and representing their institutions. However, in 2019, Delhi University made a major change to its Sports Quota admission policy and removed Ball Badminton from the list of eligible sports.

It is important to clarify one thing: Delhi University did not ban Ball Badminton as a sport. The sport was removed from the list of sports eligible for admission under the Sports Quota.

Ball Badminton Before 2019

Before the policy change, Ball Badminton was part of Delhi University's inter-college sports programme.

DU Sports Council records from the 2018–19 session show Ball Badminton among the sports in which colleges could participate. Ball Badminton was also included among the sports considered for Sports Quota admissions during that period.

This meant that talented Ball Badminton players could use their sporting achievements as part of their application for admission to Delhi University under the Sports Quota.

What Changed in 2019?

For the 2019–20 admission session, Delhi University revised its Sports Quota policy.

As part of the revision, 12 sports and sporting events were removed from the Sports Quota eligibility list. Ball Badminton was among the sports removed.

Other sports/events affected by the decision included Indian Round Archery, Women's Baseball, Men's Softball, Men's Korfball, 4×100m Relay, Cross Country, Cycling, Fencing, Powerlifting, Best Physique and Yoga.

The decision created concern among students, athletes and Physical Education teachers because players from these sports would no longer be able to seek admission through the DU Sports Quota.

Why Was Ball Badminton Removed?

The main reason was related to Delhi University's revised criteria for Sports Quota eligibility.

At the time, DU moved towards giving preference to sports that were part of major international sporting competitions and recognised sporting structures, including events such as the Olympic Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and World Championships.

The University also cited issues such as the relatively low number of applicants in some of the sports that were removed.

Therefore, the decision was primarily about which sports should qualify for Sports Quota admissions, rather than a decision that Ball Badminton was an unrecognised or invalid sport.

Opposition to the Decision

The removal of Ball Badminton and other sports from the Sports Quota list was not accepted by everyone.

Students and Physical Education teachers questioned the policy, arguing that sports should not necessarily be excluded simply because they were not part of the Olympic or Asian Games programme.

Supporters of Ball Badminton pointed out that the sport has organised competitions at state, national and international levels and has a significant presence in Indian university sports.

The issue eventually reached the Delhi High Court, where the court sought a response from Delhi University regarding the removal of several sports from the Sports Quota.

Was Ball Badminton Banned at Delhi University?

No.

This distinction is important.

The 2019 decision concerned Sports Quota admissions. It did not mean that students were prohibited from playing Ball Badminton at Delhi University.

Ball Badminton had been part of DU's inter-college sports activities before the change, and removing it from the admission quota was different from banning the sport itself.

So, saying:

“Delhi University banned Ball Badminton in 2019”

would be technically inaccurate.

A more accurate statement is:

“Delhi University removed Ball Badminton from its Sports Quota admission list in 2019.”

Impact on Ball Badminton Players

The policy had a direct impact on students who had built their sporting careers around Ball Badminton.

Players with district, state or national-level achievements who wanted to use their sporting credentials for admission to Delhi University could no longer rely on the Sports Quota route for Ball Badminton after its removal from the eligible list.

For young athletes, this was significant because Sports Quota admissions can provide an important opportunity to continue both higher education and competitive sport.

Conclusion

Delhi University's 2019 decision did not ban Ball Badminton as a sport. Instead, Ball Badminton was removed from the list of sports eligible for admission through the University's Sports Quota.

The change was part of a broader revision of DU's Sports Quota policy, which placed greater emphasis on sports associated with major international competitions and recognised sporting structures.

The decision was controversial, and students and Physical Education teachers questioned the exclusion of Ball Badminton and several other sports. The matter was also taken to the Delhi High Court.

For Ball Badminton players, however, the key change was clear: from the 2019–20 admission cycle, Ball Badminton was no longer among the sports eligible for Delhi University's Sports Quota admissions.


About the Author

Amit Sharma is a national-level Ball Badminton player and founder of BallBadminton.com, dedicated to documenting players, tournaments, and the historical development of India’s indigenous racket sport.

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