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Sepaktakraw — kick volleyball rules, Asian Games & Khelo India

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

Education Margdarshan's sepaktakraw map in simple words: how 'kick volleyball' is played by a regu of three, the net and ball sizes, how sets are scored, the faults that cost points, India at the Asian Games and Khelo India, the SAI training centres, who pays and the jobs it can lead to.

📍 See The Journey / Full Roadmap ISTAF Law of the Game — Regu (PDF) (opens in a new tab) sepaktakrawindia.com (opens in a new tab)
Team (regu)
3 players on court + substitutes [1]
Net height at centre
1.52 m men · 1.42 m women [1]
Set
21 points, win by 2 (cap 25) [1]
Match
Best of 3 sets [1]
01 Core rules & selection formats

How sepaktakraw is played

Sepaktakraw is like volleyball played with the feet, knees, chest and head. Two regus (teams) of three players face each other across a net and try to land a small ball in the other court. One player stands at the back and serves; the other two play at the front. [1]

  • Each side may touch the ball at most three times before it goes over the net.
  • The ball must not touch a player's hand or arm, and a player may not use the hands or arms to support a kick.
  • A point is scored on every fault by either side. A set is won by the first regu to 21 points with a 2-point lead; at 20–20 play goes on until one side leads by 2 or reaches 25.
  • A match is the best of three sets, with 2-minute breaks; each regu has one 1-minute time-out per set. Service changes every three points. [1]

Net and ball (ISTAF) [1]

Net and ball (ISTAF)
ItemMenWomen
Net height at centre1.52 m1.42 m
Net height at the posts1.55 m1.45 m
Ball circumference (men)0.41–0.43 m—
Ball weight (men)170–180 g—

ISTAF also publishes laws for doubles and quad (four-player) events. [2][3]

02 Institutional & global recognition

Asian Games, Khelo India — and the cash that follows

  • Sepaktakraw is a medal sport at the 2026 Asian Games; two players from Nagaland, Menenu Tsukru and Seyiekhrieno Tepa, were picked for India's women's team.
  • It is one of the 27 sports of the Khelo India Youth Games.
  • It is not an Olympic sport. [5][4][6][7]

Government cash award for a senior sepaktakraw medal (₹ lakh) [8]

Government cash award for a senior sepaktakraw medal (₹ lakh)
EventGoldSilverBronze
Asian Games302010
ISTAF World Cup (every 4 years)402515
ASTAF Asian Championship (every 4 years)15105

In team events every squad member, reserves included, gets 75% of the individual amount. [8]

03 Physical benchmarks & anti-doping

What the game demands — and anti-doping

  • Every player must be able to play the ball with any part of the body except the hands and arms — the arms may not even be used to support a kick. [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. [9]
04 Grassroots-to-elite residential pipeline

From the school court to the Asian Games

  1. 1Grassroots & local entry From childhood
  2. 2State to national breakthrough 10–18 · U18
  3. 3National camp & elite trials Junior · senior
  4. 4Asian Games India team
The full Sepaktakraw 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 Training centres & cities

Where players train

  • Sepaktakraw is taught at SAI Training Centres (ages 12–18) but has no SAI National Centre of Excellence; India's 2026 Asian Games women's squad included players and coaches from Nagaland. [10][4]
06 Equipment costs & who pays

A low-cost sport — and who pays

  • You need only a ball, a net and a court, so sepaktakraw is cheap to start. Education Margdarshan does not print shop prices — no governing body publishes them. [1]

Who pays — sepaktakraw ladder [10][11]

Who pays — sepaktakraw 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
Athlete in hardshipPDU National Welfare FundUp to ₹2.50 lakh
07 Earning channels & central job quotas

Awards and sports-quota jobs

  • Sepaktakraw 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 Asian Games can bring up to three out-of-turn promotions. [12]
  • Khelo India Youth Games medals now count for central sports-quota jobs. [13]
08 Disqualification traps

Faults that lose points

  • The ball touching a hand or arm, or using an arm to support a kick.
  • Four touches on one side.
  • Touching the net or post with any part of the body or kit, or crossing into the opponent's court (except a follow-through).
  • Distracting the opponents by shouting or gestures during the service. [1]
09 Real-world player doubts

Future, jobs and certificates — straight answers

Sepaktakraw is not in the Olympics. Is it worth it?

For India, the targets are the Asian Games, the Khelo India Youth Games and central sports-quota jobs — all of which include sepaktakraw. It is cheap to start and the Ministry pays cash awards for Asian Games, World Cup and Asian Championship medals. [5][6][12][8]

Which government jobs can sepaktakraw get me?

Central Group C posts under DoPT rules list sepaktakraw among 65 sports. Neither Western Railway's 2026-27 notice nor CRPF's 2026 sports quota had sepaktakraw posts — read each recruiter's notice. [12][14][15]

Sports-quota job routes open in 2026 — age, qualifying results, pay [14][15]

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. [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. [14][15]

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. ISTAF — Law of the Game: Regu (team) event (2013; published by the Sepaktakraw Federation of India) (opens in a new tab) Regu of three, net and ball sizes, faults, scoring to 21 (cap 25), best of three sets, time-outs, service rotation · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  2. ISTAF — Law of the Game: Doubles event (opens in a new tab) Doubles laws · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  3. ISTAF — Law of the Game: Quad event (opens in a new tab) Quad (four-player) laws · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  4. All India Radio News — Four women from Nagaland selected to represent India in sepaktakraw at the 20th Asian Games (opens in a new tab) Menenu Tsukru and Seyiekhrieno Tepa selected; Nagaland coaches · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  5. Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games — Sports (opens in a new tab) Sepaktakraw at the 2026 Asian Games · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  6. Khelo India Youth Games 2025 (Bihar) — official site (opens in a new tab) Sepaktakraw among the 27 KIYG sports · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  7. LA28 — 2028 Olympic Games Plan (sports list) (opens in a new tab) LA28 sports list (sepaktakraw not included) · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  8. MYAS — Scheme of Cash Incentive to Medal Winners (amended 1 Feb 2025) (opens in a new tab) Asian Games amounts; ISTAF World Cup and ASTAF Asian Championship (quadrennial); 75% team rule · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  9. NADA India — Athlete's Rights & Responsibilities (opens in a new tab) Testing availability, Prohibited List, TUE · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  10. SAI — Brief on Sports Promotional Schemes 2024-25 (opens in a new tab) Sepaktakraw among STC sports · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  11. PIB — Financial Support to Athletes (5 Aug 2024) (opens in a new tab) Khelo India, welfare fund · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  12. DoPT — Instructions on Recruitment/Promotion for Sportspersons (18 Nov 2022) (opens in a new tab) Sepaktakraw in the 65-sport list, Group C, out-of-turn promotion · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  13. DoPT Office Memorandum, 4 March 2024 — Incentive for Sportspersons (opens in a new tab) Khelo India Games medallists added · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  14. Western Railway RRC — Employment Notice RRC/WR/01/2026 (Sports Quota), 27 Aug 2026 (opens in a new tab) Age 18–25 on 1 Jan 2027, level norms, no sepaktakraw posts in this notice, MoYAS-recognition rule, fees · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  15. 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 sepaktakraw posts in 2026 · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  16. 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
  17. 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

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