Sports Cockpit · Solo, Track & Pool · FIG Codes 2025-2028 · LA28 qualification
Gymnastics — apparatus, scoring, age rules & the road to LA28
Education Margdarshan's gymnastics map for India in simple words: the six disciplines, the apparatus for men and women, how a routine is scored (difficulty plus execution), the minimum ages to be a senior, how LA28 places are won from the 2026 and 2027 World Championships, the SAI gymnastics centres, who pays, and the Railways and other jobs that recruit gymnasts.
01 Core rules & selection formats
Six disciplines, the apparatus, and how a routine is scored
FIG gymnastics disciplines [1][6]
| Discipline | What you do | Olympic? |
|---|---|---|
| Artistic (men MAG, women WAG) | Routines on fixed apparatus | Yes |
| Rhythmic (RG) | Dance-like routines with a hand apparatus — rope, hoop, ball, clubs or ribbon; individual or group | Yes |
| Trampoline (TRA) | Somersaults on a trampoline (also double mini-trampoline and tumbling) | Yes |
| Acrobatic (ACRO) | Pairs and groups doing balances and throws | No |
| Aerobic (AER) | Non-stop aerobic movement patterns to music | No |
| Parkour (PK) | Running, jumping and climbing over an urban-style course | No |
Artistic gymnastics apparatus [5]
| Men (6) | Women (4) |
|---|---|
| Floor exercise | Vault |
| Pommel horse | Uneven bars |
| Rings | Balance beam |
| Vault | Floor exercise |
| Parallel bars | — |
| Horizontal bar | — |
- Each routine gets a D-score (Difficulty — how hard your skills and links are) plus an E-score (Execution — how well you do them, starting from 10.00 with deductions). Final score = D + E.
- A fall costs 1.0. A routine with too few elements loses big chunks too; extra penalties are taken off the final score for things like wrong attire or taking more than 30 seconds to restart after a fall.
- The all-around score is the total of all apparatus — six for men, four for women. Only the D-score can be appealed.
- A rhythmic routine lasts 1 min 15 s to 1 min 30 s. [2][3][1][4]
02 Institutional & global recognition
Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games — and India's gymnasts
LA28 Olympic artistic gymnastics — the hard numbers [5]
| Rule | What it says |
|---|---|
| Events | Men 8 (team, all-around, 6 apparatus) · women 6 (team, all-around, 4 apparatus) · 1 mixed team (new) |
| Places | 192 (96 men, 96 women); a country has at most one team of five (no reserves) or up to three individuals |
| How you qualify | Top 3 teams at the 2026 World Championships; more teams, individuals, all-around and apparatus places at the 2027 World Championships; then the 2028 Apparatus World Cup series |
| Age | Men born on or before 31 Dec 2010; women on or before 31 Dec 2012 |
| Licence | A valid FIG licence to the end of the Games |
- Artistic gymnastics is one of only 10 sports at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games; artistic, rhythmic and trampoline are all in the 2026 Asian Games.
- Dipa Karmakar became the first Indian gymnast to win gold at the Asian Gymnastics Championships, and Pranati Nayak has won a bronze in women's vault at an FIG World Cup. [7][8][9][10]
Government cash award for a senior medal (₹ lakh) [12]
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Games | 75 | 50 | 30 |
| Asian Games / Commonwealth Games | 30 | 20 | 10 |
| FIG World Championship (every year) | 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Asian Championship (every year) | 3.75 | 2.5 | 1.25 |
The World and Asian Championship awards cover artistic, rhythmic, trampoline, aerobic and acrobatic gymnastics. [12]
03 Physical benchmarks & anti-doping
The age you must reach — and anti-doping
FIG minimum and junior ages (age in the year of competition) [1]
| Discipline | Senior from | Junior |
|---|---|---|
| Men's artistic | 18 | 15–18 (an 18-year-old is declared junior or senior for the year) |
| Women's artistic | 16 | 14–15 (WAG youth 12–14) |
| Rhythmic | 16 | 14–15 |
| Trampoline | 17 | 13–16 |
| Acrobatic | 15 | 13–19 |
| Aerobic | 18 | 15–17 |
| Parkour | 17 | 14–16 |
- Once you have competed at a senior World Championship, continental championship, World Cup or multi-sport Games, you cannot go back to junior events.
- Organisers check age and nationality at accreditation for every official FIG event. [1]
- Under the anti-doping code you must be available for testing and check every medicine against the Prohibited List; apply to NADA for a TUE if you need a banned medicine. [13]
04 Grassroots-to-elite residential pipeline
From the school mat to the national camp
The full Gymnastics roadmap has its own page
📍 See The Journey / Full RoadmapEvery stage from first club to the international level, the detailed route, the age-by-age ladder and what to eat from stage 1, with sources.
05 Top elite academies & cities
Where India's gymnasts train
SAI National Centres of Excellence with gymnastics [14]
| Centre | Other sports there |
|---|---|
| Aurangabad (Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar), Maharashtra | Boxing, fencing, hockey, weightlifting |
| Kolkata, West Bengal | Archery, athletics, hockey, table tennis |
| IG Stadium, New Delhi | Cycling |
Gymnastics is also taught at SAI Training Centres (ages 12–18) and in SAI's school and college extension centres. [14]
06 Equipment costs & who pays
Halls, apparatus and who pays the bills
- Training needs a hall with apparatus and mats; SAI centres provide these to the gymnasts they select. Education Margdarshan does not print shop prices for attire or grips — no governing body publishes them.
- A FIG licence is needed for every FIG-sanctioned event and must stay valid to the end of the competition. [14][1]
Who pays — gymnastics ladder [14][15]
| Stage | Paid by | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| SAI centre trainee | Sports Authority of India | Coaching, boarding, sports science, diet |
| Khelo India athlete | Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports | ₹6.28 lakh a year incl. ₹1.20 lakh cash |
| Olympic prospect | TOPS Core Group | ₹50,000 a month + approved training plan |
| Athlete in hardship | PDU National Welfare Fund | Up to ₹2.50 lakh |
07 Earning channels & central job quotas
Railways, CRPF and other sports-quota jobs
- Western Railway's 2026-27 sports quota had men's gymnastics posts at Level 5/4 and Level 3/2: all-rounder, floor exercise, pommel horse, still rings, vault, parallel bars and horizontal bar. Railways treat the Junior National Gymnastics Championship as the junior national for gymnastics.
- CRPF's 2026 sports quota had gymnastics (all-rounder) posts for men. [18][19]
- Gymnastics is one of the 65 sports in the central sports quota for Group C posts, with up to 5 years' age relaxation (10 for SC/ST).
- Medals at the Olympics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games or World Championships can bring up to three out-of-turn promotions. [16]
- Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons: ₹12,000–20,000 a month after retirement. [15]
08 Disqualification traps
Mistakes that cost gymnasts points and places
- Short routines — too few counted elements bring a heavy neutral deduction.
- Wrong attire, slow restart after a fall (over 30 s), or a spotter where none is allowed — each is taken off the final score. [2]
- Competing senior too early — after one senior World Cup or championship you cannot return to junior events.
- Letting your FIG licence lapse before an event. [1]
09 Real-world player doubts
Starting age, jobs and money — straight answers
My child is 10. Is that too late — or too early?
Neither. FIG keeps children out of senior events until 16 (women) or 18 (men), and junior events start at 14–15. That leaves years for basics. SAI Training Centres take ages 12–18, so aim to be ready for their tests by 12. [1][14]
Which government jobs can gymnastics get me?
Railways recruit gymnasts: Western Railway's 2026-27 notice had men's gymnastics posts at Level 5/4 and 3/2 on every apparatus. CRPF's 2026 quota had gymnastics posts too, and DoPT lists gymnastics for central Group C posts. [18][19][16]
Sports-quota job routes open in 2026 — age, qualifying results, pay [18][19]
| Route | Age | Main qualifying results | Pay level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Railways Level 5/4 (graduates) | 18–25 on 1 Jan 2027 | Played the Olympics, or top 3 at a World Cup, World Championship, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games or Youth Olympics | Level 5/4 |
| Railways Level 3/2 (12th, or 10th + apprenticeship) | 18–25 on 1 Jan 2027 | Top 3 at Senior, Youth or Junior Nationals, National Games or All India Inter-University; or Federation Cup gold | Level 3/2 |
| Railways Level 1 | 18–25 on 1 Jan 2027 | Played for your state and finished at least 8th at Senior Nationals; or top 3 at the Federation Cup | Level 1 |
| CRPF Head Constable (GD) (10+2) | 18–23 on 1 Aug 2026; sportspersons get +5 years (OBC +8, SC/ST +10) | Played for India; or top 3 for your state at Nationals or National Games; or gold/silver at Junior Nationals | Level 4 · ₹25,500–81,100 |
| CRPF Constable (GD) (10th pass) | 18–23 on 1 Aug 2026; sportspersons get +5 years (OBC +8, SC/ST +10) | Played for your state at Senior or Junior Nationals; or top 3 at SGFI school nationals or Khelo India Games | Level 3 · ₹21,700–69,100 |
Railways count results from 1 April 2024; CRPF counts the two years before 30 September 2026. Railways fee ₹500 (₹400 back if you attend the trial; ₹250, refunded in full on attending, for SC/ST, women, PwBD, minorities, ex-servicemen and EBC). CRPF fee ₹100 for UR/OBC/EWS men; free for women, SC, ST and ex-servicemen. CRPF picks sign a ₹1 lakh bond to serve at least 3 years. [18][19]
We are a lower-middle-class family. How do we keep costs down?
Aim for the free seats: SAI Training Centres and the NCOEs at Aurangabad, Kolkata and Delhi give coaching, boarding, sports science and diet on proper apparatus; a Khelo India athlete gets ₹6.28 lakh a year. A gymnast in hardship can apply to the PDU National Welfare Fund for up to ₹2.50 lakh. [14][15]
Does any 'national' certificate count for a job?
No. Railways will not recruit on a certificate from a federation MoYAS did not recognise at the time of the championship, and CRPF counts only championships of MoYAS-recognised federations or the IOA's National Games. Check that your nationals are held by the federation recognised by the Sports Ministry before you rely on the certificate. [18][19]
10 Official sources & verification
Where these facts come from
Every fact on this Education Margdarshan page is taken from the governing body's own rule book or a Government of India file below, read on 17 October 2026. Federations change rules, weight classes and scheme amounts — open the current file before you act on it.
- FIG — Technical Regulations 2026 (opens in a new tab) Disciplines, minimum senior and junior ages, no return to junior, licence, D-score inquiries · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- FIG — Men's Artistic Gymnastics Code of Points 2025-2028 (opens in a new tab) Final score = D + E, E-score from 10.00, short-exercise deductions, fall 1.0, penalties, all-around · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- FIG — Women's Artistic Gymnastics Code of Points 2025-2028 (opens in a new tab) All-around = sum of the four apparatus · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- FIG — Rhythmic Gymnastics Code of Points 2025-2028 (valid from 1 April 2025) (opens in a new tab) Hand apparatus, exercise length 1'15" to 1'30" · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- FIG — Qualification System, LA28 Olympic Games: Artistic Gymnastics (version 3 June 2026) (opens in a new tab) Events incl. mixed team, apparatus, 192 places, team of five, qualification events, birth-date limits, FIG licence · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- LA28 — 2028 Olympic Games Plan (sports list) (opens in a new tab) Artistic, rhythmic and trampoline gymnastics at LA28 · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games — Sports (opens in a new tab) Artistic gymnastics among the 10 sports · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games — Sports (opens in a new tab) Artistic, rhythmic and trampoline gymnastics at the 2026 Asian Games · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- All India Radio News — Dipa Karmakar becomes first Indian gymnast to win gold in Asian Gymnastics Championship (opens in a new tab) First Indian Asian Championships gold · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- All India Radio News — Pranati Nayak wins bronze in women's vault at FIG World Cup (opens in a new tab) FIG World Cup vault bronze · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- Khelo India Youth Games 2025 (Bihar) — official site (opens in a new tab) Gymnastics among the 27 KIYG sports · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- MYAS — Scheme of Cash Incentive to Medal Winners (amended 1 Feb 2025) (opens in a new tab) Award amounts; FIG World and AGU Asian Championships (annual) for five disciplines · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- NADA India — Athlete's Rights & Responsibilities (opens in a new tab) Testing availability, Prohibited List, TUE · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- SAI — Brief on Sports Promotional Schemes 2024-25 (opens in a new tab) Gymnastics NCOEs, STC entry (ages 12–18), extension centres · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- PIB — Financial Support to Athletes (5 Aug 2024) (opens in a new tab) Khelo India, TOPS, welfare fund, pension · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- DoPT — Instructions on Recruitment/Promotion for Sportspersons (18 Nov 2022) (opens in a new tab) Gymnastics in the 65-sport list, Group C, out-of-turn promotion · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- DoPT Office Memorandum, 4 March 2024 — Incentive for Sportspersons (opens in a new tab) Khelo India Games medallists added · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- Western Railway RRC — Employment Notice RRC/WR/01/2026 (Sports Quota), 27 Aug 2026 (opens in a new tab) Men's gymnastics posts at Level 5/4 and 3/2 by apparatus, Junior National Gymnastics Championship, age 18–25, MoYAS-recognition rule · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- CRPF — Recruitment of Meritorious Sportspersons, HC & Constable (GD), Sports Quota 2026 (Advt. R.II-21/2026-Sports, 17 Sep 2026) (opens in a new tab) Gymnastics (all-rounder) posts, age and relaxation, qualifications, fee, ₹1 lakh bond · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
- SAI NSNIS Patiala — Six Week Certificate Course in Sports Coaching (opens in a new tab) 6 weeks (4 online, 2 offline), ₹14,800, Class 12 + district-level top 3 or state / inter-university / SGFI / national participation · Last checked 19 Oct 2026
- SAI NSNIS Patiala — Diploma in Sports Coaching (course page, 2026-27) (opens in a new tab) 1 year, ₹63,800, 785 + 104 seats in 26 disciplines at Patiala, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Thiruvananthapuram; Category A (Class 12 + international record), B (graduation + national record) · Last checked 19 Oct 2026
- Khelo India Youth Games 2026 (Telangana) — Sports (opens in a new tab) The 25 disciplines listed for KIYG 2026 · Last checked 19 Oct 2026
- ICMR-National Institute of Nutrition — Dietary Guidelines for Indians (booklet), Guideline 8 (opens in a new tab) Cereal-pulse 3:1 protein quality, vegetarian and non-vegetarian protein sources; most athletes meet protein needs from food, protein powders unnecessary · Last checked 19 Oct 2026
- NADA India — Managing the Risk of Nutritional Supplements (opens in a new tab) Supplement risk, strict liability, food-first approach · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
Spotted something out of date? Email margdarshan07support10@gmail.com with the official link and Education Margdarshan will update it.
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