The Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has signed off on an expanded Khelo India Scheme along with enhanced Assistance to National Sports Federations (ANSFs), together carrying an outlay of Rs. 36,441 crore for 2026-27 through 2030-31. The move reaffirms the Government’s commitment to using sports as a tool for youth development and nation-building.
This stands as the country’s most ambitious sports development effort since Independence. It gives a major lift to young Indians’ sporting aspirations and is expected to leave a transformational mark over the next decade. The approved funding is close to eight times what the earlier Khelo India Scheme received, underlining how central sports has become to the Government’s vision for youth development, nation-building, and India’s rise as a global sporting force.
One Pathway, From Village Playgrounds to the Olympics
The revamped scheme is built to give every talented young Indian a clear route forward, starting at school playgrounds and village sports fields and running all the way to the Olympic podium. The idea is simple: no sporting talent should go undiscovered just because of where someone lives, their economic background, or a lack of opportunity.
It draws directly from the Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 and the National Education Policy 2020, weaving sports together with education, fitness, technology and high-performance training. That foundation is meant to support India’s longer-term sporting goals, including the 2030 Commonwealth Games and the country’s bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Building a Complete Development Pathway for Every Athlete
For the first time, the scheme lays out a full athlete development pathway, supporting young sportspersons at every stage, from talent identification and scientific training through to international competition and Olympic preparation.
To back this up, it creates an integrated nationwide sports ecosystem made up of National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs), Khelo India Centres of Excellence (KICoEs), SAI Training Centres (STCs), Khelo India Accredited Academies (KIAAs), Khelo India Centres (KICs), and Youth Sports Companies (YSCs) run by the Armed Forces. These institutions, working together, are meant to deliver world-class coaching, sports science support, and modern infrastructure nationwide.
On the school sports front, two new initiatives have been introduced, Khelo India Feeder Schools (KIFS) and Khelo India Utkrishta Vidyalayas (KIUV), which will fold sports into mainstream education and allow talented children to be spotted early and nurtured systematically.
Nearly Tenfold Growth in India’s Structured Athlete Pool
One of the scheme’s bigger reforms is a new Emerging Khelo India Athletes (E-KIAs) category, sitting alongside the existing Khelo India Athletes programme. Together, these are expected to expand the structured athlete development ecosystem by close to ten times, bringing thousands more young athletes under professional coaching, scientific support, and long-term mentoring.
A stronger nationwide talent identification framework will back this expansion, involving Talent Identification Development Committees, Zonal Committees, Talent Scouts, High Performance Directors, and High Performance Managers, all working to continuously identify, track, and develop promising athletes across the country.
The scheme also sets up a clear progression route, moving athletes from grassroots competitions into Khelo India, and from there into the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), so that deserving athletes can access world-class training, international exposure, and comprehensive support to compete for medals at the highest level.
Expanding Competitions and Opportunities
Since sporting excellence depends on regular competitive exposure, the revamped scheme puts real weight behind strengthening India’s domestic competition landscape, supporting school, university, regional, and sport-specific leagues alongside national championships.
Particular focus has gone toward expanding opportunities for women athletes, para-athletes, and indigenous sports, and toward using sports as a tool for peace, inclusion, and community development. The scheme also backs the organisation of the National Games and India’s hosting of major international sporting events.
A Push Toward a Fitter, Healthier Nation
The Fit India Movement is set to expand significantly, aiming to make fitness a genuinely nationwide movement, especially among young people. Campaigns under this push will promote active lifestyles, encourage women’s participation in sports, extend outreach to border and remote areas, and use sports-based initiatives to fight substance abuse, reinforcing the role sports can play in broader social change.
Modernising Coaching and Building a Digital Backbone
Recognising that athletes need world-class support systems to truly excel, the Government will set up a National Coach Accreditation Board (NCAB) to standardise coaching qualifications, raise professional standards, and build stronger capacity among coaches and support staff nationwide.
The scheme also envisions a single, unified digital sports platform that brings together athlete databases, infrastructure details, competition data, coaching resources, talent assessments, funding information, and Fit India participation. This platform is meant to enable data-driven planning, transparent governance, and personalised athlete development.
Deepening Public-Private Collaboration
The Government plans to deepen its ties with private academies, corporate partners, and other institutions, tapping into their investment, innovation, and expertise to strengthen sports infrastructure, talent development, and athlete support. The goal is a genuinely national sports ecosystem, built on both public and private participation.
Backing India’s Global Sporting Ambitions
Alongside the revamped Khelo India Scheme, the Government has also approved a strengthened Assistance to National Sports Federations (ANSF) Scheme running from 2026 to 2031. This will support Indian athletes and teams through funding for coaching, sports science, modern equipment, international exposure, coaching camps, engagement of foreign experts, and participation in major international competitions. It will also support sports cooperation with Global South countries and help promote India’s own indigenous sports on the international stage.
A National Mission Toward Viksit Bharat
The revamped Khelo India Scheme ranks among the largest investments ever made in India’s sporting future. It’s more than a sports programme, it’s a national mission built around giving young Indians opportunity, confidence, and a shot at excellence.
By building a seamless pathway from grassroots talent all the way to global sporting success, the scheme aims to nurture champions, spark a culture of fitness, strengthen India’s sporting ecosystem, and help position the country among the world’s leading sporting nations as it works toward the vision of Viksit Bharat@2047.
Key Takeaway: The revamped Khelo India Scheme, backed by a significantly enhanced financial outlay and a strengthened Assistance to National Sports Federations programme, represents a comprehensive effort to transform India’s sports ecosystem from the grassroots to the elite level. By integrating sports with education, expanding talent identification, strengthening coaching and sports science, promoting women’s, para and indigenous sports, and leveraging digital platforms and public-private partnerships, the scheme aims to create a structured pathway for athlete development and international success.
Aligned with the Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 and the National Education Policy 2020, it seeks to foster a culture of fitness, broaden sporting opportunities, and position India as a leading global sporting nation in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
M.C.Q.
Question 1: The revamped Khelo India Scheme approved by the Union Cabinet for 2026–31 is aligned with which of the following policy frameworks?
- Khelo Bharat Niti 2025
- National Education Policy (NEP) 2020
Select the correct answer:
- A. 1 only
- B. 2 only
- C. Both 1 and 2
- D. Neither 1 nor 2
Question 2: Under the revamped Khelo India Scheme, athletes are expected to progress from grassroots competitions to which flagship programme for Olympic medal preparation?
- A. National Sports Talent Contest (NSTC)
- B. Mission Olympic Cell (MOC)
- C. Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)
- D. National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs)
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