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Kho-Kho — the rules of the chase, the World Cup & the jobs

Governed by Kho Kho Federation of India (KKFI) · International Kho Kho Federation ·Official rule books & government schemes only ·Last checked 17 Oct 2026

Education Margdarshan's kho-kho map in simple words: how the game is played, what a 'kho' is and the fouls around it, India's double win at the first Kho Kho World Cup, the national championships and Khelo India, the SAI centres, who pays, and the Railways and central sports-quota jobs open to kho-kho players.

📍 See The Journey / Full Roadmap khokhofederation.in (opens in a new tab) KKFI recognition 2026 (MYAS, PDF) (opens in a new tab)
Kho Kho World Cup 2025
India won both — men 54–36, women 78–40 v Nepal [2]
Federation status
KKFI recognised by MYAS to 31 Dec 2026 [8]
Khelo India Youth Games
Yes — one of 27 sports [11]
Railways 2026-27
Level 1 posts, men and women [17]
01 Core rules & selection formats

How kho-kho is played — chasers, runners and the 'kho'

Kho-kho is India's 'game of chase'. One team chases, the other runs. The chasing team's players sit in a line of squares along the central lane between two wooden posts; one of them, the attacker, chases the defenders (the runners who are on the field) and tries to touch them out. Then the teams swap. [1]

  • Giving a kho: the attacker passes the chase by touching a sitting chaser from behind with the hand and saying 'Kho' loudly. Saying 'Kho' before the touch is a foul; touch and word together are fine.
  • Saying any word other than 'Kho', or a sitting chaser saying it, is a foul. An attacker may not lean or rest on a chaser to reach a defender.
  • Taking a direction: once the attacker runs towards one post, they may not turn back over ground they have already covered (receding is a foul). They can change direction only in the free zone beyond a post — for example by going round the post.
  • A defender who steps out of the field is out. Runners enter the field from a marked entry zone beside the scorer's table. [1]
  • In top matches each team chases and defends in turns (a match has four turns). A 'Dream Run' is a long spell in which the chasers cannot get defenders out — at the 2025 World Cup an Indian women's Dream Run lasted more than five minutes. [3]
02 Institutional & global recognition

World Cup champions — and the push for the Asian Games

  • At the first Kho Kho World Cup (New Delhi, 2025) India won both titles, beating Nepal 78–40 (women) and 54–36 (men). Both Indian teams were unbeaten.
  • The Sports Ministry has said it wants kho-kho in the Asian Games and later the Olympics. It was not on the 2026 Asian Games programme; KKFI has named the 2030 Asian Games as its target. [2][3][4][7][5]

Government cash award for a senior kho-kho medal (₹ lakh) [12]

Government cash award for a senior kho-kho medal (₹ lakh)
EventGoldSilverBronze
World Kho Kho Championship (every 2 years)20148
Asian Kho Kho Championship (every 2 years)7.552.5

On 14 May 2026 the Sports Ministry renewed the annual recognition of KKFI for 2026 (to 31 December 2026), subject to the outcome of court cases. [8]

03 Physical benchmarks & anti-doping

Age papers and anti-doping

  • For sub-junior and junior nationals, each player's eligibility certificate must be signed by the head of the school or college with the date and place of birth, admission number, class, attendance and a sealed photograph, and countersigned by the state association. [9]
  • 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 ground to the India team

  1. 1Grassroots & local entry 8–14 · school
  2. 2State to national breakthrough U18 · 10–18
  3. 3National camp & elite trials Senior
  4. 4World Cup & Asian events India team
The full Kho-Kho roadmap has its own page

Every 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.

📍 See The Journey / Full Roadmap
05 Top elite academies & cities

Where kho-kho players train

SAI National Centres of Excellence with kho-kho [14]

SAI National Centres of Excellence with kho-kho
CentreOther sports there
Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh (girls only)Athletics, kabaddi, volleyball
Gandhinagar, GujaratHandball, kabaddi, athletics, powerlifting, swimming, table tennis (para)

Kho-kho 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

A low-cost sport — and who pays the rest

  • Kho-kho needs only a marked ground, two wooden posts and sports clothing and shoes, so the kit needed to start is small; at higher levels the costs are travel and camps. Education Margdarshan does not print shop prices — no governing body publishes them. [1]

Who pays — kho-kho ladder [14][15][10]

Who pays — kho-kho ladder
StagePaid byWhat you get
SAI centre traineeSports Authority of IndiaCoaching, boarding, sports science, diet
Khelo India athleteMinistry of Youth Affairs & Sports₹6.28 lakh a year incl. ₹1.20 lakh cash
KIYG semi-finalist team playerKKFI scholarship (apply through your state association)Scholarship payment to your bank account
Athlete in hardshipPDU National Welfare FundUp to ₹2.50 lakh
07 Earning channels & central job quotas

Railways and central sports-quota jobs

  • Western Railway's 2026-27 sports quota had Level 1 kho-kho posts (all-rounders) for both men and women, and Railways list a Junior National Kho-Kho Championship for each as the recognised junior national. [17]
  • Kho-kho 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). [16]
  • Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons: ₹12,000–20,000 a month after retirement. [15]
08 Disqualification traps

Fouls and paperwork that cost teams

  • Saying 'Kho' before touching, or saying any other word — a foul.
  • Turning back after taking a direction (receding), or leaving the free zone the wrong way — a foul.
  • Stepping out of the field as a defender — you are out. [1]
  • Incomplete eligibility forms — no school seal on the photo or missing details can keep a player out of the nationals. [9]
09 Real-world player doubts

Future, jobs and money — straight answers

Kho-kho is not in the Olympics. Is there a future in it?

Yes, in India. Kho-kho counts for central sports-quota jobs, Western Railway advertised kho-kho posts for 2026-27, it is a Khelo India Youth Games sport, and India are the World Cup champions. The Ministry is pushing for Asian Games entry. It is not an Olympic or 2026 Asian Games sport yet, so Olympic-scheme money such as TOPS does not apply. [16][17][11][2][4][7]

Which government jobs can kho-kho get me?

Railways: Western Railway's 2026-27 notice had Level 1 posts for men and women. Central Group C posts under DoPT rules list kho-kho. CRPF's 2026 sports quota had no kho-kho posts — each recruiter advertises only the sports its teams need. [17][16][18]

Sports-quota job routes open in 2026 — age, qualifying results, pay [17][18]

Sports-quota job routes open in 2026 — age, qualifying results, pay
RouteAgeMain qualifying resultsPay level
Railways Level 5/4 (graduates)18–25 on 1 Jan 2027Played the Olympics, or top 3 at a World Cup, World Championship, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games or Youth OlympicsLevel 5/4
Railways Level 3/2 (12th, or 10th + apprenticeship)18–25 on 1 Jan 2027Top 3 at Senior, Youth or Junior Nationals, National Games or All India Inter-University; or Federation Cup goldLevel 3/2
Railways Level 118–25 on 1 Jan 2027Played for your state and finished at least 8th at Senior Nationals; or top 3 at the Federation CupLevel 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 NationalsLevel 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 GamesLevel 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. [17][18]

We are a lower-middle-class family. Can my child still play?

Kho-kho needs very little kit to start — a marked ground and two posts. For higher levels, aim for SAI Training Centres and the NCOEs at Dharamshala (girls) and Gandhinagar, Khelo India support (₹6.28 lakh a year) and KKFI's scholarship for KIYG semi-finalist players. [1][14][15][10]

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. KKFI's recognition was renewed for 2026. [17][18][8]

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.

  1. Consortium for Educational Communication (UGC) — B.P.Ed. module: Kho-Kho, Lecture 29 (academic script) (opens in a new tab) History, field terms (posts, central lane, squares, free zone, entry zone), chasers, attackers, runners, giving kho, fouls, direction · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  2. All India Radio News — Kho Kho World Cup 2025: India scripts history as both men's and women's teams lift trophies (opens in a new tab) Finals v Nepal: women 78–40, men 54–36, New Delhi · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  3. All India Radio News — Kho Kho World Cup 2025: Indian teams advance to semi-finals (opens in a new tab) Turns, a Dream Run of over five minutes, unbeaten Indian teams · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  4. All India Radio News — Govt wants to take Kho Kho to Asian Games 2026 & Olympics 2036, says Sports Minister (opens in a new tab) Government aim of Asian Games and Olympic entry · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  5. All India Radio News — Sudhanshu Mittal re-elected as president of Kho Kho Federation of India (opens in a new tab) KKFI governing body; target of 2030 Asian Games; 58 countries playing · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  6. All India Radio News — Junior National Kho Kho Championship begins in Bengaluru (opens in a new tab) 44th Junior Nationals, about 1,000 players, league-cum-knockout · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  7. Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games — Sports (opens in a new tab) 2026 Asian Games programme (kho-kho not included) · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  8. MYAS — Renewal of Annual Recognition of Kho Kho Federation of India for 2026 (14 May 2026) (opens in a new tab) Recognition to 31 Dec 2026, subject to court cases · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  9. KKFI — Certificate of Eligibility of Player (sub-junior/junior nationals) (opens in a new tab) Birth details, school records, sealed photo, head-of-institution and state-association signatures · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  10. KKFI — Scholarship Form for KIYG semi-finalist teams' players (opens in a new tab) Scholarship application with bank details, verified by the state association · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  11. Khelo India Youth Games 2025 (Bihar) — official site (opens in a new tab) Kho-kho among the 27 KIYG sports · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  12. MYAS — Scheme of Cash Incentive to Medal Winners (amended 1 Feb 2025) (opens in a new tab) World and Asian Kho Kho Championships (senior, biennial) · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  13. NADA India — Athlete's Rights & Responsibilities (opens in a new tab) Testing availability, Prohibited List, TUE · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  14. SAI — Brief on Sports Promotional Schemes 2024-25 (opens in a new tab) Kho-kho NCOEs (Dharamshala girls, Gandhinagar), STCs and extension centres · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  15. PIB — Financial Support to Athletes (5 Aug 2024) (opens in a new tab) Khelo India, welfare fund, pension · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  16. DoPT — Instructions on Recruitment/Promotion for Sportspersons (18 Nov 2022) (opens in a new tab) Kho-kho in the 65-sport list, Group C · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  17. Western Railway RRC — Employment Notice RRC/WR/01/2026 (Sports Quota), 27 Aug 2026 (opens in a new tab) Level 1 kho-kho posts (men and women), Junior National Kho-Kho Championship, age 18–25, MoYAS-recognition rule · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  18. 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) Age and relaxation, qualifications, fee, bond; no kho-kho posts in 2026 · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. Khelo India Youth Games 2026 (Telangana) — Sports (opens in a new tab) The 25 disciplines listed for KIYG 2026 · Last checked 19 Oct 2026
  22. 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
  23. 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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