Athletics: Polytechnic had developed one 400 metres sports track, which was very much in use, in the evenings on most of the working days. The students and members of the staff had got used to it and there were cries for some sort of competitive sports. Total strength of the students was 300, with one section of 60 in second year and four sections of 60 each in first year. Thereafter, for purposes of sports competitions, every section was further divided into two groups of 30 each, yielding 10 groups of 30 each.
During the first stage, every group of 30 was treated as a unit and all rivalry for track and field events was limited within thirty members of the unit. There were eight track items: 100 metres, 200 metres, 400 metres, 800 metres, 1500 metres and 5000 metres, 110 metres hurdles and 400 metres hurdles, four jumps: Long Jump, High Jump, Hop step and Jump, Pole Vault and four throws: Shot Put, Discus Throw, Javelin Throw and Hammer Throw. Every student had the freedom to participate individually in ten items, out of the sixteen track and field items. Since the competition was within 30 members of the group, every student had a feeling that he had a reasonable chance to compete and win laurels. It may look strange, but almost 100% students participated in 100 metres and 200 metres races and most of them participated in a total of eight to ten events. That was the strategy or mantra for encouraging mass participation of students in competitive sports.
During the second stage, the first three students in each event from each group of thirty students were considered as having qualified for inter-group competitions. In addition every group of thirty students had the freedom to enter one team for the following inter-group competitions: 4 x 100 metres relay race, 4 x 400 metres relay race and Tug of War. The rivalry during the second stage was intense and led to substantial qualitative development.
Games: The grounds for field games were gradually getting into shape through regular maintenance and daily utilization of the grounds in the evenings by staff and students. Naturally, the introduction of competitive sport could not be delayed. For purposes of inter-class tournaments the institution had 10 teams of 30 students each. The basic approach was mass participation of students in all types of games. When the team is selected to represent a group of 30 students, most of the students have a feeling that they have a reasonable chance for selection and they do not feel shy to compete, as they find that most of the members of their team and all other opposing teams have members with similar attainments and skills. Initially, Hockey, Football, Volleyball and Basketball were introduced for inter-class tournaments. The format of the tournament was on the basis of league-cum-knockout. Two groups of five teams each were formed. In the first stage, the matches within the group were played on league basis for each game. Thereafter, the best two teams from each group in each game, played on knock-out basis for deciding the winner, runners-up and third placed teams. Prizes and certificates were awarded to all playing members of first three teams.
While, groupwise league matches, during the first stage led to mass participation of students in the games, the matches on knock out basis during the second stage helped substanatially in the development of better play and pursuit of qualitative improvement.
Inter-Polytechnic Tournaments: In 1959 there were only three polytechnics in Rajasthan. Diploma classes had been discontinued from MBM Engineering College and were transferred to the newly established Jodhpur Polytechnic in 1958. Udaipur Polytechnic was established in 1957, but the first batch of students was admitted at Jodhpur in 1957 and was transferred to Udaipur in 1958. Udaipur Polytechnic had started functioning regularly from its newly constructed building at Udaipur from 1958. Ajmer Polytechnic was established in 1958 and had started functioning from the rented Lodha Building during 1958 and had recently shifted to its new campus at Makhupura. As such thinking about Inter-Polytechnic Tournaments in 1959 was a considerably long shot. There were only three polytechnics and the priority of the institutions was development of physical facilities and streamlining academic work. However, some sparks had started flying at Ajmer Polytechnic with the development of playgrounds and enthusiastic conduct of athletics and games activities. Naturally, the thoughts of conducting inter-polytechnic tournaments at Ajmer touched the chords of almost everybody. And, with the consent of Jodhpur and Udaipur Polytechnics, Ajmer Polytechnic undertook to conduct the first Inter Polytechnic Meet of Rajasthan at Ajmer in December 1959.
Rules, Regulations and Format: The broad objective for the conduct of inter-polytechnic tournaments was to provide opportunities to the staff and students of the institutions to meet and to interact with each other and to encourage mass participation of staff and students in games and sports activities. The duration of the meet was pegged at six days, opening on Monday and closing on Saturday. The games included in the meet were: Hockey, Football, Volleyball, Basketball, Kabaddi, Cricket, Tennis, Badminton, Tabletennis and Tennicoit. Athletic events included eight track items, four jumps, four throws, two relay races and tug of war. Every polytechnic was to field one team for each of the games or team events and two members for each of the individual items. Gold, Silver and Bronze medals were to be provided to all playing members of the first placed, second placed and third placed teams for games and team events and to first three winners of individual items.
Since there were only three polytechnics fielding a total of three teams for the team events, a staff team was added to the meet for participation in every game and team event for facilitating the conduct of matches on league-cum-knockout basis with the proviso that whatever be the results, the staff team shall not be eligible for prizes. League matches were to be finished through Monday, Tuesday and Wednessday and knockout matches were to be completed on Thursdays and Fridays. Rules were framed for all games to ensure that all matches ended in results and there were no draws or postponements. All individual items of athletics and games were to be completed on Thursday, Friday and morning session of Saturday. The format was intended to ensure that all playing members of all teams remained involved in their events on all days from Monday to Friday. Evening of Saturday was reserved for selected track items, relays, tug-of-war and prize distribution.
First Inter-Polytechnic Games and Sports Meet held at Ajmer in December 1959: Jodhpur and Udaipur teams reached Ajmer on Sunday, a day prior to the commencement of the meet on Monday. After some rest, they spread out to have a feel of the grounds. Copies of the news bulletin giving information about the rules, regulations and fixtures were distributed to all members of the accompanying staff and playing members. News bulletin was intended to be issued in the early hours of the morning every day for keeping everybody informed about the results and for providing brief comments about the conduct of the events completed on the previous day. Since there were only three eligible teams for every game or team event and Gold, Silver and Bronze medals were intended to be awarded to all playing members, every playing member of every team had the assurance to get atleast one medal. Hockey is a fast game and therefore all fixtures of hockey matches were kept in the early hours of the morning. Since Hockey and Football teams have a number of common players, the fixtures of football were kept in the evening. In the good old days, if the matches ended in draws, the fixtures used to be replayed. It was not possible for us to accommodate replays under our tight schedules. As such penalty shoot-outs were provided for breaking the ties. It may be interesting to note that penalty shoot-outs were not common at national and international levels in hockey or football in 1959 and these were adopted as a normal practice by national and international bodies after some decades. Cricket was a time consuming affair. Since we wanted results of every match during a limited time in a day, we restricted the matches to one inning for each team with a maximum of 50 overs. Kerry Pecker of Channel 9 of Australia was perhaps the first person to conduct limited overs cricket at international level in 1972. Many years after, national and international bodies of cricket introduced one dayers in cricket and initially experimented with 60 overs and 40 overs for each innings and then finally adopted 50 overs.
Basketball was provided a slot in the morning after Hockey and volley ball was kept in the evening before football. Cricket had full day for single innings of 50 limited overs. Kabaddi,Tennis and Tennicoit had flexible hours during the day. Badminton and Table Tennis were provided uncluttered time at night. The whole intention for staggering the fixtures for different games was to facilitate participation of talented players in more than one game.
Conclusion: Conduct of Inter Polytechnic meet at Ajmer in 1959 was a tremendous learning experience. All members of the staff and students spent almost eight to ten hours every day on the grounds during the meet, rubbed shoulders with each other and had an appreciation of the sustained dedication and physical efforts of every individual. Next two inter-polytechnic meets were also held at Ajmer in 1960 and 1961. Thereafter, Jodhpur polytechnic took over. Mass participation by staff and students and sustained interaction between them during the games as players or from the sidelines and informal campfires provided memories which everybody cherished and treasured for the rest of their lives.