Restructuring of the Khelo India Scheme (2026-31)

Restructuring of the Khelo India Scheme (2026-31)

Historic 8 times increase in budgetary outlay and a nearly 10-fold increase in the number of financially supported athletes

Realignment of the scheme in synergy with the 2036 Olympic vision and the Khelo Bharat Policy 2025

9,000 Khelo India Athletes (KIA) and 18,000 Emerging Khelo India Athletes (E-KIA) to be nurtured across 30 priority sports disciplines under comprehensive talent development

Total outlay of <36,441 crore to bolster the sports ecosystem from the grassroots to the elite level

Selected athletes to receive coaching, boarding and diet, kits, travel, medical support, academic assistance, and expanded competitive exposure

Launch of the 'National Coach Accreditation Board' (NCAB) for coach standardization and the Al-driven 'Khel Setu' digital platform

Zirakpur 17 September ( Ranjeet Singh Dhaliwal ) : Advancing the objectives of the 'Khelo Bharat Policy 2025', the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has announced an ambitious expansion of the Khelo India Scheme (2026-31). The primary objective of this renewed phase is to reinforce India's sporting ecosystem from grassroots to elite levels, laying a robust foundation for the nation's 2036 Olympic roadmap. Under this restructured framework, the scheme incorporates an 8-fold increase in budget outlay compared to the previous cycle and a nearly 10-fold rise in the number of supported athletes, with an estimated total budget allocation of R36,441 crore.

Providing comprehensive details during a press conference, Shri Shailendra Kumar, Regional Director (In-charge), Sports Authority of India (SAI), Regional Centre Zirakpur, stated that this scheme crafted under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya is focused on identifying young talent from rural areas and tier-2/tier-3 cities. It ensures access to cutting-edge sports science, Al-based analytics, high-performance coaching, and world-class nutrition. Furthermore, aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the initiative integrates sports as an essential facet of holistic education. Through Khelo India 3.0, modern digital architectures like the National Sports Repository System and Athlete Management System will be harnessed to provide athletes with tailored pathways to establish India as a global sporting powerhouse.

Key Highlights of the Scheme:

1. Three-Tier Sports Infrastructure Framework

Infrastructure development will focus on three core pillars: sports Infrastructure dedicated to medal strategies, the strengthening of strategic sports assets, and State Action Plans for localized sports infrastructure creation.

2. Infrastructure for Medal Strategy

Dedicated high-performance training hubs will be established across 18 priority sports. Infrastructure mapping will be conducted across 30 disciplines featured in the Olympic Games, Asian Games, and Commonwealth Games. Based on comprehensive gap analyses, existing facilities will be upgraded and new facilities will be established where required. Under this vertical, 9,000 Khelo India Athletes (KIA) and 18,000 Emerging Khelo India Athletes (E-KIA) will be systematically trained across 30 priority disciplines.

3. State Action Plan

Operating under cooperative federalism through a Centrally Sponsored Scheme model, grassroots sports infrastructure will be developed in alignment with demands from States and Union Territories (with a 60:40 funding ratio for general states and a 90:10 ratio for North-Eastern and Himalayan states/UTs).

4. Competitions and League System

The competitive structure will expand beyond flagship multi-sport events such as the Khelo India Youth Games, University Games, Para Games, Winter Games, Beach Games, Tribal Games, Water Sports, and the ASMITA Women's League to institutionalize school, university, regional, zonal, and sport-specific leagues.

New Sports Leagues: Academic-calendar-aligned school and university leagues alongside sport-specific regional circuits. Thematic and Inclusive Formats: Scaled-up inclusion of the 'ASMITA' Women's League, Beach Games, Water Sports, Tribal Sports, North-East Games, Martial Arts, and Indigenous Sports. Peace and Development Initiatives: Targeted interventions designed to integrate youth from border and extremism-affected areas into mainstream sports.

5. Talent Identification and Training Expansion (Talent ID & KITF)

Athlete Categorization: Athletes will be classified into 'Khelo India Athletes' (KIA) and 'Emerging Khelo India Athletes' (E-KIA) to receive end-to-end technical and financial backing. New Training Hubs: Establishment of Khelo India Utkrisht Vidyalayas (KIUV) and Khelo India Feeder Schools (KIFS) under regional offices to align academic curricula with rigorous athletic training. Transparent Selection Protocols: Scientific testing protocols managed by Talent Identification Zonal Committees (TIZC) and sport-specific Talent Identification Development Committees (TIDC) at the national level. The SAI Regional Centre Chandigarh oversees a network comprising 2 National Centres of Excellence (NCoE), 6 SAI Training Centre's (STC), 46 Khelo India Accredited Academies (KIAA), 6 Khelo India Centers of Excellence (KICE), and over 152 Khelo India Centers (KIC). Under Khelo India 3.0, these facilities will see substantial expansion, ensuring geographical location ceases to be an impediment to an athlete's progress.

6. Standardization of Coaches and Support Personnel (Formation of NCAB)

To address the shortage of qualified coaches, sports scientists, and support staff, the scheme introduces international exposure programs, structured upskilling modules, and the creation of the National Coach Accreditation Board (NCAB). Serving as the apex governing body under SAI, the NCAB will institute a standardized 4-tier (L1 to L4) national coaching accreditation framework, maintain a digital coach registry, and oversee certification standards.

7. Regional Training Footprint Expansion

The expansion of STCs, Khelo India Centers, KIAs, and advanced facilities ensures that emerging regional athletes do not have to migrate away from their home states for foundational training. Historically, the SAI Regional Centre has generated world-class talent across Olympic and traditional disciplines. The revised scheme places strategic emphasis on consolidating established sports clusters and discovering new hubs to systematically cultivate regional athletic potential.

8. Fit India Movement

Operating as a nationwide mass movement, the campaign will amplify its signature message, "Fitness ki Dose, Aadha Ghanta Roz" (A dose of fitness, half an hour daily), on a broader scale. Execution of a unified National Fitness Calendar synchronized with NaMo Fit India Clubs, Sundays on Cycle, Freedom Runs, and the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan (NMBA). Broadened initiatives to develop community fitness hubs, encourage civic participation, popularize yoga and indigenous physical cultures, drive inclusion for women and Divyangjan (persons with disabilities), and deepen engagement with civic bodies and institutional partners.

9. Sports Technology: 'Khel Setu' Digital Platform

Developed in collaboration with the National e-Governance Division (NeGD), 'Khel Setu' is an integrated, Al-powered sports management platform. It incorporates Unified Athlete IDs, talent scouting analytics, games administration systems, and grievance redressal mechanisms, operating in full compliance with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023. This digital foundation will anchor a scientific talent identification network operating across 10 Khelo India Utkrisht Vidyalayas, 500 Feeder Schools, and 2,500 Khelo India Centers. The platform ensures end-to-end lifecycle tracking for athletes-encompassing Al/computer-vision talent scouting, loT wearables, sports science tracking, Al-driven performance optimization, tournament governance, athletic education, career transition pathways, and long-term health management.