Calicut University has introduced grace marks for students who spend an hour everyday for any of the sport or physical fitness activities in colleges.

“Ours is the first university to introduce such a measure meant to enhance the physical fitness of the youth,” said Vice-Chancellor M. Abdul Salam.

He was inaugurating a sports convocation on the campus at Tenhipalam on Monday. Presiding over the function, Pro Vice-Chancellor K. Ravindranath said that the decision to introduce grace marks in sports for all professional courses, including B.Tech, would contribute immensely for the development of sports.

He said that the involvement of more colleges would be ensured in inter-collegiate athletic meets.

Delivering the convocation address, Olympian P.T. Usha said that the sports alumni of the university would provide all support for the development of sports and games on the campus. Olympian K.C. Rosakutty released a sports supplement brought out to celebrate the occasion. Dr. Salam accepted the first copy from Ms. Rosakutty.

The university gave away cash awards, scholarships and sports kits to sports personalities who won the first, second and third positions in the national inter-university championships. Dr. Salam gave away mementoes to national athletes. Among them were P.T. Usha, K.C. Rosakutty, Beena Peter, T.S. Sreejit, M.A. Prajusha, Mohammed Hasan, M.K. Syamanthakam, V.V. Vinod Kumar, Ibrahim Cheenikka, Lijo David Thottan, Ramachandran and Lekha Thomas. Sree Kerala Varma College, Thrissur; St. Thomas College, Thrissur; and Vimala College, Thrissur, were given cash awards for promotion of sports.