Physical buildup: Get up early in the morning and you can see people walking briskly on the streets. Go to any public place or park and you can find people busy on their tracks, gulping fresh air. Go to any gymnasium or fitness club and you may find all gadgets fully occupied by perspiring people. In the good old days there used to be a liberal scattering of akharas or wrestling pits, which encouraged a routine of digging up the soil in the pit, followed by some basic exercises, before strength training and wrestling. Yoga is a household word to-day spreading the cult of physical regime, making the body strong and supple, blended with a routine of breathing exercises. Everybody wants to have a hail and hearty look and has a longing to have a healthy well built body. Ten to fifteen minutes of brisk exercise keeps a man fit, fresh and kicking for the whole day. Most of the outdoor games and sports activities do that and perhaps much more. These days games and sports have become highly competitive and they are pursued as lucrative career options. Village level, district level, state level, national and international games and sports activities and competitions keep going almost throughout the year and they attract hundreds, hundreds of thousands and millions of people round the globe.
All games and sports activities need concentration, dedication, hardwork, endurance and an undying spirit to keep going under all odds and these are some of the traits of successful people all over the globe. In the good old days, all schools and colleges had extensive facilities for outdoor games and sports. Even to-day some of the best public schools lay equal emphasis on normal academic activities and participation in outdoor games and sports.
Mass participation of students in games and sports: The outdoor facilities for games and sports were initially, very limited at Civil Engineering School Allahabad. Moreover, due to late admissions, our academic session was running two months behind the Lucknow schools and therefore the major emphasis was on completion of the courses in time for the annual examinations of the Board. Facilities for minor games were developed in the institution in the beginning in the available space to attract the students and to keep the spirit of sports flying. What happens is that some of the boys are drawn to the grounds for participation, while some others stand on the sidelines, waiting and watching, out of curiosity. When they see that most of the participants are raw and beginners like them, they get into the ring and gradually, the bug of sports starts striking them. Our total student strength was about 400, divided into six sections of 60 to 66 each. We further divided every section into two groups of 30 to 33 each and thereby, we had 12 groups of students for purposes of conduct of games and sports and literary and cultural activities. 30 to 33 is a small number and inspires a feeling of confidence in the students to participate and to compete. In the meantime, we were able to lay hands on the sports ground of Provincial Armed Constabulary, which was being used very sparingly by them. The facility helped us in arranging league matches of students, who were divided into two pools of six groups each. Every group had 30 to 33 students. The league matches helped in keeping the interest of students and their competitive spirits alive. The whole activity spread like an infection and by the end of December 1955, there were cries for knock-out tournaments, which were arranged in February 1956 alongwith athletic competitions, which were conducted first at group level, followed by institution level competitions.
Annual Sports and literary and Cultural Week Celebrations: The institution had gone through three hectic months, since its establishment in October 1955. The students were getting used to rigorous routines of six to eight hours of work per day. The teachers were always on their toes for meeting the academic needs of the students in the class and off the class. Then there were games and sports and literary and cultural programmes. Friendly rivalry in league matches between groups had kindled a lot of interest in the students and teachers and in spite of all the engagement outside normal working hours of the institution, the staff and students found the activities relaxing. Everybody felt very happy and excited to find that almost all the students were participating enthusiastically in most of the activities. The final three days of the annual celebrations in February 1956 were reserved for athletics and literary and cultural programmes. Every student was encouraged to choose and participate in ten individual track and field items of his choice in addition to participation in team events like relay races and tug-of-war. It may look strange, but, it was very heartening to see all the students of the institution, vying with each other for active participation on the grounds during the celebrations, with all the flourish, enthusiasm and determination.
Prize distribution: The first prize distribution function of Civil Engineering School Allahabad was held in the second week of February 1956 a fortnight after the completion of the mid-term examinations. Everybody has lifelong longings to be able to stand on the podium some day. All parents, friends and well-wishers feel happy to see their children seeking laurels. Prizes provide a tremendous boost and are a great reinforcement for almost everybody. And if the prizes are plenty and are in an easy grasp, they serve as a carrot for the people to put in some effort and then some extra effort and in the process, they make them hungry about healthy competition. The whole emphasis in professional institutions is to make the students hardy and keen to accept challenges and to keep surging ahead, till they are able to hit their goals. Everybody cannot be on the top of the pyramid, if the number of pyramids is limited. But, as and when, the number of pyramids are liberally provided, most of the people jump into the fray, chasing top spots and in the process, they get infected by the bugs, which lead them on the path to excellence and ultimately help them in chasing desired goals. Our prize regime at Civil Engineering School Allahabad was tuned to these basics.
Academic prizes: First year of the diploma course in Civil Engineering was the only course running in the institution in February 1956 with a total student strength of 400 divided into six sections of 60 to 66 each. Since, the sections were formed on the basis of academic qualifications and attainments of the students, which varied widely at the time of admission, prizes were provided for best students of every section on the basis of their academic performance in the mid-term examinations. In addition, prizes were also provided for the best students of the institution. The following academic prizes were awarded during the first prize distribution function in February 1956:
Prizes for securing highest marks in individual subjects: For every section and for every subject two students were awarded prizes for securing highest marks in the subject in his section. In addition three prizes were awarded for each subject to the students who secured highest marks in individual subjects in the institution.
Prizes for securing highest marks in aggregate: Two prizes were awarded to students of each section for securing highest aggregate marks in the mid-term examination. In addition three prizes were awarded to students for securing highest marks in aggregate in the institution.
Literary and cultural programmes: Literary and cultural programmes included debates, recitations, music and stage performance. Two prizes were awarded for individual performance for each item in each section for performance at the section level and three prizes were awarded for each item for the final performance at institution level. For team events, three prizes were awarded for final performance at institutional level.
Games and sports: For individual items, two prizes were awarded for individual performance for each item in each section at the section level and three prizes were awarded for each item for the final performance at institutional level. For team events, three prizes were awarded for each item for final performance at institutional level.
Conclusion: Professional institutions of the good old days normally had liberal facilities on the campus for the conduct of games, sports and literary and cultural activities and they laid tremendous emphasis for mass participation of students in these activities. Most of the members of the staff used to be associated with the promotion and conduct of these activities, which gradually helped in the development of informal association and bonds between the staff and students. These bonds helped them in willing participation and enjoyment of all the activities. Courses and curriculum are important. But, for building up the professionals, who have the urge, obsession and aspirations to surge ahead, games, sports and other extra curricular activities provide ample opportunities to them for rubbing shoulders in friendly contests and for the development of an undying spirit and determination in the pursuit of excellence and challenging goals.