Revamped Khelo India Scheme

Revamped Khelo India Scheme (2026-2031) aims to build a Sporting Nation for Viksit Bharat. Read here to know about the expanded Khelo India scheme.

Recognising sports as a powerful catalyst for nation-building, youth empowerment, social inclusion, and economic development, the Union Cabinet has approved a revamped Khelo India Scheme along with enhanced financial assistance to National Sports Federations (NSFs).

The programme has been allocated a combined financial outlay of ₹36,441 crore for the period 2026-27 to 2030-31, making it one of India’s largest investments in the sports sector.

The initiative aims to transform India into a global sporting powerhouse by establishing a comprehensive sports ecosystem that nurtures talent from grassroots levels to elite international competition.

It aligns with the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, while strengthening India’s preparations for future global sporting events, including the 2030 Commonwealth Games, the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and India’s long-term aspirations to host these prestigious competitions.

Revamped Khelo India Scheme

The revamped Khelo India Scheme is a comprehensive national sports development programme aimed at promoting mass participation in sports while creating a structured pathway for identifying, nurturing, and developing sporting talent.

The programme emphasises:

• Grassroots sports development
• Talent identification
• Scientific athlete training
• International exposure
• High-performance coaching
• Sports education
• Inclusive participation
• Technology-enabled governance

Unlike earlier initiatives focused mainly on competitions, the expanded programme builds a complete athlete development ecosystem from schools to Olympic podiums.

Financial Outlay

Component	Details
Scheme	Expanded Khelo India Programme
Duration	FY 2026–27 to FY 2030–31
Total Financial Outlay	₹36,441 crore
Ministry	Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
Objective	Grassroots to elite sports development

Objectives of the Programme

The expanded programme seeks to:

• Develop a robust sports culture across India.
• Increase grassroots participation in sports.
• Identify talented athletes at an early age.
• Provide world-class scientific training.
• Improve India’s performance at international competitions.
• Strengthen sports infrastructure.
• Promote fitness among citizens.
• Encourage women’s participation in sports.
• Support para-athletes and indigenous sports.
• Build India into a global sporting nation.

Policy Alignment

The programme is aligned with two major national policy frameworks:

1. Khelo Bharat Niti 2025

The scheme supports the vision of developing sports as an important pillar of:

• Youth development
• Public health
• Social inclusion
• National prestige
• Economic growth

It promotes sports as an integral part of everyday life.

2. National Education Policy (NEP) 2020

The programme integrates sports with education by encouraging schools to treat sports as an essential component of holistic development rather than merely an extracurricular activity.

The integration focuses on:

• Physical education
• Fitness
• Sports science
• Character building
• Leadership
• Teamwork

Structured Athlete Development Pathway

One of the most significant features of the expanded Khelo India programme is the creation of a structured athlete development pathway.

The pathway includes:

Talent Identification

Young athletes are identified through:

• Schools
• District competitions
• State tournaments
• Khelo India Games
• Accredited academies

Scientific Training

Selected athletes receive:

• Professional coaching
• Sports science support
• Nutrition guidance
• Injury prevention
• Physiotherapy
• Psychological counselling

Elite Athlete Development

Promising athletes gradually progress towards:

• National camps
• International exposure
• Olympic preparation
• Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)

Thus, the programme establishes a clear pathway from grassroots participation to Olympic excellence.

Institutional Ecosystem

The scheme creates a nationwide sports ecosystem comprising multiple institutions.

National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs)

These institutions provide:

• High-performance training
• Sports science
• Advanced coaching
• International-standard facilities

They serve as India’s premier elite athlete training centres.

Khelo India Centres of Excellence

These centres bridge the gap between grassroots sports and elite performance by offering specialised coaching and athlete development programmes.

Sports Authority of India (SAI) Training Centres

SAI Training Centres continue to play a central role by providing:

• Residential coaching
• Infrastructure
• Equipment
• Sports medicine

Accredited Academies

• Private and public academies meeting prescribed standards will be accredited to expand training opportunities across the country.

Khelo India Centres

• These centres promote grassroots sports participation in districts and rural areas, ensuring wider access to sporting opportunities.

Youth Sports Companies of the Armed Forces

• The Armed Forces will continue to identify and nurture talented athletes through specialised sports companies, contributing significantly to India’s international sporting success.

School-Based Sports Development

• Recognising that sporting talent often emerges during childhood, the scheme introduces important school-level initiatives.

Khelo India Feeder Schools

• Selected schools will function as talent identification centres where promising young athletes receive structured coaching while continuing their education.

Khelo India Utkrishta Vidyalayas

These specialised schools integrate:

• Academic education
• High-performance sports
• Scientific training
• Athlete development

This model allows students to balance education with competitive sports.

Emerging Khelo India Athletes (E-KIAs)

A major innovation is the introduction of the Emerging Khelo India Athletes (E-KIAs) category.

The initiative aims to:

• Expand India’s athlete database
• Increase the structured athlete pool nearly tenfold
• Provide systematic long-term athlete development

This significantly enlarges India’s talent pipeline for future international competitions.

Fit India Movement

The expanded programme strengthens the Fit India Movement, emphasising that sports are not limited to elite athletes but are essential for public health.

The movement promotes:

• Daily physical activity
• Healthy lifestyles
• Community sports
• Fitness awareness

The objective is to reduce lifestyle diseases while improving overall health and productivity.

Inclusive Sports Development

The programme adopts an inclusive approach by ensuring participation across all sections of society.

Women’s Participation

Special efforts will encourage:

• Greater female participation
• Safe sporting environments
• Equal opportunities
• Leadership roles for women in sports

Border and Remote Areas

• Sports infrastructure and outreach programmes will be expanded to remote, tribal, and border regions, ensuring that talented athletes from underserved areas receive equal opportunities.

Para Sports

The programme strengthens support for:

• Para-athletes
• Accessible infrastructure
• Specialized coaching
• International participation

This aligns with India’s growing success in the Paralympic Games.

Indigenous Sports

• Traditional Indian sports will receive greater institutional support to preserve India’s sporting heritage while promoting local participation.

Sports Against Substance Abuse

Sports will also be used as a tool for:

• Youth engagement
• Drug prevention
• Social awareness
• Community development

Coach Development

Recognising that quality coaching determines athlete performance, the programme establishes a National Coach Accreditation Board.

Its responsibilities include:

• Standardising coaching qualifications
• Certification programmes
• Continuous professional development
• Monitoring coaching quality

This is expected to improve coaching standards across India.

Technology and Digital Governance

Technology forms a central pillar of the expanded scheme.

A Unified Digital Sports Platform will support:

• Athlete registration
• Talent tracking
• Performance analytics
• Competition management
• Data-driven decision-making
• Transparent governance

Digital systems will improve planning, monitoring, and athlete support.

Public-Private Partnerships

The programme encourages collaboration with:

• Private sports academies
• Corporate institutions
• Sports federations
• Educational institutions

Such partnerships will help improve:

• Infrastructure
• Coaching
• Athlete sponsorship
• High-performance training

Enhanced Assistance to National Sports Federations (NSFs)

Financial support to National Sports Federations will be significantly strengthened.

The enhanced assistance will cover:

• Professional coaching
• Sports science
• Modern equipment
• International exposure
• Foreign experts
• Competition participation
• Athlete welfare

This support aims to improve India’s international sporting performance.

Global Sporting Ambitions

The expanded programme supports India’s long-term international sporting aspirations.

It strengthens preparations for:

• 2030 Commonwealth Games
• Olympic Games
• Paralympic Games
• Potential future Olympic hosting

Improved athlete preparation, infrastructure, governance, and sports science are expected to enhance India’s medal prospects.

Significance of the revamped Scheme

The programme is expected to generate multiple long-term benefits.

Youth Development

Sports build:

• Discipline
• Leadership
• Teamwork
• Confidence
• Mental resilience

Improved Public Health

Greater participation in sports promotes:

• Physical fitness
• Mental well-being
• Reduced obesity
• Lower lifestyle diseases

International Sporting Excellence

• Scientific training and structured athlete development can significantly improve India’s medal performance at global sporting events.

Economic Growth

The sports sector generates employment in:

• Coaching
• Sports science
• Event management
• Infrastructure
• Manufacturing
• Sports technology
• Sports tourism

Social Inclusion

Sports serve as a platform for:

• Gender equality
• Disability inclusion
• Community participation
• National integration

Nation Building

Sport strengthens:

• National pride
• International recognition
• Youth engagement
• Social cohesion

Challenges

Despite its ambitious vision, several challenges remain:

• Uneven sports infrastructure across states.
• Shortage of qualified coaches.
• Limited sports science expertise.
• Talent identification in rural and remote regions.
• Need for sustained funding and governance reforms.
• Ensuring transparency in athlete selection.
• Balancing academic education with sports training.

Addressing these issues will be essential for realising the scheme’s objectives.

Conclusion

The expanded Khelo India Scheme represents a transformative investment in India’s sporting future. With a ₹36,441 crore outlay for 2026-27 to 2030-31, the programme creates an integrated ecosystem spanning grassroots participation, school sports, scientific athlete development, modern coaching, digital governance, and elite performance.

By aligning with Khelo Bharat Niti 2025, the National Education Policy 2020, and the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047, it seeks to nurture sporting talent, promote inclusive fitness, strengthen National Sports Federations, and prepare India for major international competitions.

If implemented effectively, the initiative can help transform India from a nation of sporting potential into a consistent global sporting power while using sports as a powerful instrument of youth empowerment, social inclusion, and national development.