BCCI Makes Firm Moves Against Age Scandal With Plans to Appoint New Verification Agency

The Board of Control for Cricket in India is going full throttle in preventing age scams in Indian cricket by making some stern and professional moves. In a recent development the BCCI released a Request for Proposal which is a formal request inviting seasoned and reliable firms to participate in a bidding procedure. These firms will be tasked with verifying and authenticating personal information of young cricket players throughout India. The aim is to ensure that only deserving players feature and no one takes up age-group cricket with fake documents.

This measure has come at a time when complaints have been on the rise about some players presenting suspicious documents. Instances have arisen where birth certificates or school reports appeared counterfeit or falsified. Even though the precise motivation for the sudden move is not entirely explained it seems the BCCI desires transparency and equity in the game particularly at the grass root level where age-group tournaments are held on a regular basis. The move of hiring an outside agency clearly seems to be with an intention of cleansing the system and disallowing opportunities for over-age players to go through.

The BCCI already has a two-stage process of verifying a player's age. Firstly, they examine documents which are submitted such as school certificates and birth documents. If there is suspicion then they apply a scientific test known as the TW3 bone test. This examines bone growth to approximate a player's true age. The age checking typically begins at the Under-16 level for boys and the Under-15 level for girls. These procedures are followed every year between July and August when the selection season commences for different youth tournaments. This year the procedure may continue up to September as it is anticipated that the external agency would be officially appointed by end August.

Bidding companies must fulfill a number of requirements. In order to be eligible, they must have minimum three years experience in background verification. They should have collaborated with reputable organizations like corporate businesses educational institutions and recruitment agencies. The condition demands that only experienced and reputed companies participate in age verification. The other primary condition is that these agencies need to be capable of performing verification work across all the states and union territories of India. They should be able to both verify online and on-site and be prepared to go to rural areas of the country if necessary. This is highly crucial as many young cricketers are from villages and small towns where all proper documents may not always be available online.

The agency should also be able to verify various types of documents. This involves identity proof like Aadhaar or Passport age proof like school records and birth certificates residence proof and academic records as well. In a few instances they may even require going to homes schools or local authorities to verify the authenticity of the documents submitted by them. The BCCI is keen that the process be detailed and foolproof so that no scope for manipulation or cheating is left behind.

Earlier the BCCI would do all these age checks in-house but now they are looking to hire professionals. This move indicates that the BCCI is looking to enhance the system and make it more systematic and less biased. Outsourcing to an agency outside will not just make it more efficient but also more transparent in its working. Other bodies and even government ministries already employ such verification services to adhere to compliance norms and ensure discipline in their activities. So this move by the BCCI is not a novelty but it certainly reflects a firm determination to clean Indian cricket particularly at the junior level.

Approximately 40 to 50 players from every state both boys and girls are likely to face this verification annually. That way, hundreds of young cricketers all over India will be involved in this process. The job is enormous and requires cautious treatment that is why a professional agency with the right skills and equipment is needed. By ensuring proper verification the BCCI is giving genuine young players a fair opportunity while keeping imitators out of the system.

This step can also make the state associations more vigilant and responsible at the time of local selections. If players and their guardians realize that rigorous checking will be done they will less likely attempt to deceive the system. It also instills confidence in others who have always played by the rules and tried diligently to be selected in teams on actual merit.

In the long term this initiative by BCCI to prevent age fraud can bring about a sea change. It will enhance the overall quality of players emerging from the system and Indian cricket will become stronger and more disciplined. Younger players aspiring to wear the India jersey will understand that hard work honesty and patience are the only ways to success. With greater fairness in choices and less age mismatch Indian cricket will keep on improving in the correct direction.