Patna, Jan. 17: Bihar sportspersons have a reason to cheer about. The state police headquarters is planning to introduce sports quota for hiring some of them as constables.

Admitting that there is no exclusive quota for recruiting sportspersons as constables at present, director-general of police (DGP) Neel Mani said the police headquarters was busy in formulating a new policy for the appointment of sportspersons as constables and even in higher ranks. The state policies of appointment of sportspersons in the police force have been brought from Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Kerala to formulate a uniform policy.

“Though a few sportspersons were appointed on the basis of their sports certificates in 2004, none of them excelled at the national-level competitions,” he said, adding that they were appointed during general recruitment of constables in the state.

The DGP clarified that once the policy is formulated and approved by the government, vacancies for appointment of sportspersons in the force would be advertised. He said a team of senior police officers were in touch with their counterparts in the states having quota for appointing sportspersons in the police.

Sources said altogether 34 sportspersons were appointed as constables in the state police force between 1991 and 1995. “Eleven of them came out with flying colours and brought laurels to the state police by winning medals not only in the All India Police Sports and Games but also in international events,” said a senior police.

According to sources in the state police headquarters, Prem Chand Singh won gold in triple jump in the World Police Games in 1997 and 1999 in Canada and Sweden, respectively. He was also decorated with a gold medal in the same event at SAF Games in 1993 and 1995 held in Bangladesh and India, respectively.

Similarly, Archana Barha, who joined as constable in 1995, has won gold medals in every All India Police Sports and Games so far. She holds the national record in hammer throw.

Another lady constable, Jyoti S. Nayyar, has won 15 medals in All India Police Sports and Games as well as in other competitions in discus throw and shot put.

Sources said the sportspersons appointed directly in the police force under a separate quota between 1991 and 1995 have done extremely well in the police meets.

“The sportspersons recruited exclusively under sports quota under police order number 122 perform well in the All India Police Sports and Games every year,” said a senior IPS officer posted at the state police headquarters.