Sports, Olympics & Performing Arts Cockpit · India
Sports & Performing Arts Cockpit — grassroots to podium
Education Margdarshan's map of non-academic careers: the rule book, the age and weight limits, the selection ladder, the residential camps, who pays at each step and the government jobs at the end — one sport at a time, every fact tied to an official file.
Start here · How sport works
New to sport careers? Read these 7 simple guides first
How the Olympics and other big Games work, who runs Indian sport and pays the players, every career beyond playing, and straight answers to the doubts students ask most.
Strategic domains
Five families of sport and art — choose yours
Each tile opens a 9-block Margdarshan guide: rules and limits, recognition, eligibility, roadmap, academies, diet and cost, earnings, red flags and sources.
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Domain 1 of 5
Ball & Team Games
Squad sports picked by trials, nationals and pro leagues — age groups, auctions and contracts decide the path. Football — Laws of the Game 2026/27, AIFF contract and minor rules, Blue Cubs to ISL, Tata Football Academy trials.11 a side · 90 minNo contract under 16ISL: 14 clubsOpen the 9-block guide → Cricket — ICC playing conditions, BCCI's U16-to-Ranji ladder, age-fraud bans, IPL rules 2025-27, central contracts and match fees.U16 · U19 · U23 · Senior2-year ban for age fraudIPL fee ₹7.5 L/matchOpen the 9-block guide → Hockey — FIH Rules of Hockey from 1 Nov 2026, Hockey India nationals and national-camp selection, SAI centres, HIL auction rules, LA28 qualification.4 × 15 min · 11 a sideStick ≤ 737 gHIL cap ₹4 cr (men)Open the 9-block guide → Kabaddi — AKFI weight and age limits for 2026, court sizes, raid rules, Nationals to PKL to Asian Games selection, PKL auction rules.Men ≤ 85 kg · Women ≤ 75 kgJunior: under 20PKL purse ₹5 crOpen the 9-block guide → Basketball — FIBA's Official Basketball Rules 2026 (in force 1 Oct 2026) — court, ring, ball and bounce test, shot clock and the new disruptive and flagrant fouls — plus BFI's U13-to-senior nationals, SAI's basketball schemes, awards and jobs.Ring 3.05 m · court 28 × 15 m24-second shot clockNew fouls from 1 Oct 2026Open the 9-block guide → Volleyball — FIVB's 2025–2028 rules — court, net heights, ball pressure, liberos and the new serving-team rule — the FIVB–IOA Steering Committee running Indian volleyball since April 2026, VFI's age-group nationals, SAI centres, the Prime Volleyball League, awards and jobs.Net 2.43 m men · 2.24 m womenCourt 18 × 9 mSets to 25 · 5th set to 15Open the 9-block guide → Kho-Kho — India's chase game — how a 'kho' is given, chasers, attackers and runners, the 2025 World Cup double, KKFI nationals, Khelo India, SAI centres and Railways posts.World Cup 2025: India won bothTouch + say 'Kho'In Khelo India & job quotaOpen the 9-block guide → Handball — IHF indoor rules — 40 × 20 m court, 2 × 30 minutes, 3 steps and 3 seconds, ball sizes by age — LA28's 12-team events, the Gandhinagar NCOE, Railways and CRPF posts and the police leagues.7 on court · squad of 163 steps · 3 seconds2 × 30 min (seniors)Open the 9-block guide → Sepaktakraw — ISTAF Law of the Game — the regu of 3, net heights, 21-point sets, best of three, no arms — the Asian Games, Khelo India, SAI centres and the cash awards.Net 1.52 m men · 1.42 m womenSets to 21, best of 3No hands or armsOpen the 9-block guide → Rugby Sevens — Rugby sevens — 7 a side, tries and conversions — LA28's 12-team tournaments and Asia's place, junior nationals and Asia Rugby events in India, Khelo India and who pays.7 a side · squad of 12LA28: 12 teams per genderAsia gets a regional placeOpen the 9-block guide → Water Polo — Seven a side in a deep pool — four 8-minute periods, the 28-second shot clock, 18-second exclusions, three personal fouls and you are out, LA28's 12 + 12 teams, and the Railways and CRPF water polo posts.7 a side · 4 × 8 min28-second shot clockCRPF 2026: 19 water polo postsOpen the 9-block guide → Baseball & Softball — Bat, ball and four bases — innings, outs, the 20-second pitch clock, run-difference rules and extra-inning runners, LA28's 6 baseball and 6 softball teams, and where India stands on SAI centres, cash awards and the job list.Back at LA28: 6 + 6 teamsSoftball is an SAI STC sportBoth on the DoPT job listOpen the 9-block guide → Flag Football — American football with no tackling — 5 a side, pull a flag to stop the runner, 4 downs to cross the middle, the 7-second quarterback clock, and LA28's 6 men's and 6 women's teams.5 a side · no contactField 50 × 25 yardsLA28: 6 + 6 teams, age 18+Open the 9-block guide → Lacrosse — Sixes lacrosse — 6 a side, four 8-minute quarters, a 30-second shot clock, no body checking, LA28's 6 men's and 6 women's teams, and Asia-Pacific's five places at the World Sixes Championship.6 a side · 4 × 8 min30-second shot clockLA28: 6 + 6 teamsOpen the 9-block guide → -
Domain 2 of 5
Combat & Mat Sports
Weight-class sports where the scale is as decisive as the bout — weigh-in rules end more careers than injuries. Wrestling — Freestyle, Greco-Roman and women's wrestling — weight classes, the two-morning weigh-in, akhara-to-Olympics ladder.10 senior weight classes / style6 at the Olympics0 g tolerance on day 2Open the 9-block guide → Boxing — World Boxing's 10 + 10 elite weight classes, the 7 that go to LA28, medical papers, knockout lay-offs, BFI nationals and the SAI boxing centres.7 + 7 Olympic classes (LA28)3 × 3-min roundsKO = 30 to 90 days outOpen the 9-block guide → Weightlifting — The new 8 + 8 IWF bodyweight categories from 1 Aug 2026, the 6 + 6 that go to LA28, weigh-in and 20 kg rules, IWLF Nationals entry rules, anti-doping papers, SAI centres, awards and jobs.New 8 + 8 categories from 1 Aug 20266 + 6 at LA28Weigh-in 2 h before, lasts 1 hOpen the 9-block guide → Judo — IJF 2026 scoring (yuko, waza-ari, ippon), 7 + 7 Olympic weight classes, the day-before weigh-in, JFI sub-junior to senior nationals, SAI centres and jobs.7 + 7 Olympic weight classes4-minute contest+5% random weigh-inOpen the 9-block guide → Taekwondo — WT June 2026 scoring (turning kicks now double), 8 world and 4 Olympic weight classes, Kukkiwon Dan and WT licence, LA28 routes, SAI centres and CRPF posts.Turning head kick = 6 points4 + 4 Olympic classesSenior from age 17Open the 9-block guide → Wushu — Sanda (fighting) and taolu (routines) under IWUF 2024 rules — points, weight classes, age groups, routine timing, SAI wushu centres, Asian Games medals and CRPF posts.Sanda: win 2 of 3 roundsTaolu: 10-point scoreAdult sanda 18–40Open the 9-block guide → Fencing — Foil, épée and sabre under FIE August 2026 rules — the target for each sword, 5-touch pools and 15-touch knockouts, kit safety, LA28's 12 events, SAI fencing centres and India's first home Asian Championships.3 weapons · 12 Olympic eventsKnockout bout = 15 touchesFIE licence from age 13Open the 9-block guide → Karate — WKF 2026 kumite rules — yuko, waza-ari, ippon, the 8-point lead, Senshu, warnings — weight classes from U14 to senior, the Asian Games, India's federation dispute and CRPF posts.Yuko 1 · Waza-ari 2 · Ippon 3Win by 8 clear pointsSenior bout 3 minOpen the 9-block guide → Kurash — Kurash in simple words — standing throws in a yakhtak, the Khalol, Yonbosh and Chala scores, 8 + 8 senior weight classes, the 2-hour weigh-in, the Asian Games and the Sports Ministry's cash awards.8 men + 8 women senior classes4-minute bout (men)Asian Games 2026 sportOpen the 9-block guide → Ju-Jitsu — Ju-jitsu's three competition systems — Jiu-Jitsu (Ne-Waza) ground fighting, the three-part Fighting System and Duo self-defence — with JJIF 2026 points, 7 + 7 weight classes, match times, penalties, the Asian Games and the World Games.7 men + 7 women weight classesNe-Waza 5-minute adult matchAsian Games 2026 sportOpen the 9-block guide → MMA — Amateur MMA in simple words — 3 × 3-minute rounds, the 10-point must system, the banned strikes, the compulsory gloves, shin guards and mouthpiece, and the six Modern and Traditional MMA weight classes at the 2026 Asian Games.3 rounds × 3 minutes (amateur)6 Asian Games 2026 categoriesElbows and knees to the head bannedOpen the 9-block guide → Powerlifting — IPF 2026 rules in simple words — squat, bench press and deadlift, three attempts each, depth and lockout rules, 8 + 8 weight classes, the 2-hour weigh-in, Classic vs Equipped kit, the World Games and the Railways sports-quota posts.3 lifts × 3 attempts8 men + 8 women open classesRailways 2026 postsOpen the 9-block guide → Bodybuilding — IFBB 2026 men's bodybuilding in simple words — the seven mandatory poses, how judges score the rounds, 9 weight classes and 3 height classes, the trunks, tan and oil rules, and the CRPF and Railways sports-quota posts of 2026.7 mandatory poses9 weight classes (65 to +100 kg)CRPF 2026: 11 postsOpen the 9-block guide → -
Domain 3 of 5
Solo, Track & Pool
Individual Olympic sports — timed, scored or ranked — where SAI centres, Khelo India and TOPS carry most of the cost. Athletics — Every running, jumping and throwing event explained, javelin and shot put weights by age, World Championship standards, AFI Nationals, SAI camps, awards and jobs.Javelin 800 g / 600 gU18 · U20 · Senior1 false start = outOpen the 9-block guide → Badminton — The new 15-point scoring, BWF World Tour levels and ranking points, LA28 places, BAI's U11-to-senior ladder, Hyderabad and Bengaluru academies, awards and jobs.15-point games from 4 Jan 2027Super 1000 to Super 100U19 = juniorOpen the 9-block guide → Shooting — ISSF rifle, pistol and shotgun events, NRAI's MQS and selection-trial ladder, arms licences for juniors, the 15,000-round import rule, Karni Singh ranges, SLI and jobs.15 Olympic eventsJunior till the year you turn 2115,000 rounds a year import capOpen the 9-block guide → Swimming — World Aquatics stroke and swimsuit rules, the LA28 programme, SFI's new 2026 age groups and qualifying times, the National Talent Pool, SAI pools, awards and jobs.New 50m back/breast/fly at LA2815 m underwater limitSFI juniors 15–18Open the 9-block guide → Archery — World Archery's 2026 bow and arrow rules, the 70 m / 50 m rounds, the LA28 events and minimum scores, compound's Olympic debut, SAI archery centres, the Archery Premier League, awards and jobs.Recurve 70 m · compound 50 mCompound peak draw ≤ 60 lbLA28 MQS: 650 / 620 recurveOpen the 9-block guide → Table Tennis — ITTF's 2026 table, net, ball and racket laws, racket control, TTFI's U11-to-senior ranking ladder and points-based selection policy, the 2026 suspension, UTT, SAI centres, awards and jobs.Table 2.74 × 1.525 m, 76 cm highNet 15.25 cm · ball 40 mm, 2.7 gGames to 11Open the 9-block guide → Gymnastics — Artistic, rhythmic and trampoline gymnastics under the FIG 2025-2028 codes — the apparatus, D + E scoring, senior and junior ages, LA28's new mixed team, SAI centres and Railways posts.Score = Difficulty + ExecutionSenior: men 18 · women 16Fall = −1.0Open the 9-block guide → Cycling — Track, road, mountain bike and BMX under UCI 2026 rules — every Olympic event, age categories, the 6.8 kg bike rule, LA28's 514 places, SAI cycling centres and Railways posts.22 Olympic titles at LA28Junior 17–18 · U23 19–22Bike ≥ 6.8 kgOpen the 9-block guide → Tennis — ITF Rules of Tennis 2026 — court, scoring, tie-breaks — the AITA junior circuit from Talent Series to Nationals, tournament limits and fees, the ACE 2032 support policy and LA28 entry by ranking.Court 23.77 m × 8.23 mTie-break: first to 7 by 2U12 max 18 events a yearOpen the 9-block guide → Squash — World Squash 2025 rules — 11-point games, lets and strokes, eyewear — the new LA28 Olympic event (16 per gender), the PSA top-50 rule, and India's five Asian Games 2026 medals.Olympic debut at LA28Games to 11, best of 5PSA top 50 for LA28Open the 9-block guide → Rowing — World Rowing 2026 rules — boat classes, the 2,000 m course, U19/U23 ages, cox weight — LA28 places incl. new coastal beach sprints, SAI rowing centres, Asian Games 2026 bronze and CRPF posts.2,000 m straight course6 + 6 Olympic boatsAsia: 5 single-scull placesOpen the 9-block guide → Canoe & Kayak — Canoe sprint and canoe slalom under ICF rules — kayak vs canoe, boat weights, gate penalties, ages, LA28's new sprint distances, SAI centres and CRPF water-sports posts.Kayak = double blade · canoe = singleSlalom gate missed = +50 sLA28: 10 sprint + 6 slalom eventsOpen the 9-block guide → Mallakhamb, Yogasana & Indian martial arts — Mallakhamb, yogasana, gatka, kalaripayattu and thang-ta — what each is, how yogasana is judged, Khelo India and school games, cash awards, and which ones count for government sports-quota jobs.5 Indian sports in Khelo IndiaYogasana judged out of 10Mallakhamb & yogasana in job quotaOpen the 9-block guide → Golf — Rules of Golf in plain words — 14 clubs, play it as it lies, 3-minute ball search, penalties — the Olympic Golf Ranking route to LA28 (new mixed team), and India's 2026 Asian Games gold.Max 14 clubsLost ball after 3 min searchLA28: 60 men · 60 womenOpen the 9-block guide → Equestrian — Jumping, dressage and eventing — men and women compete together — rider and horse age limits, the MER results LA28 demands, India's 2023 Asian Games dressage gold and the police and Army route.Men & women compete togetherRider 18+ (dressage 16+)Horse 8+ yearsOpen the 9-block guide → Sailing — Windsurfing, kite, dinghy, skiff and multihull — LA28's 10 events, the World Sailing ranking and class rules, India's Asian Games 2026 skiff medals, Navy sailing nodes and who pays.10 Olympic events at LA281 boat per event per countryAsian Games 2026: skiff silver + bronzeOpen the 9-block guide → Triathlon — Swim, bike, run — race distances, drafting rules, wetsuit and time-penalty rules, youth to elite age groups, LA28's individual and mixed relay, and the Asian route.Standard: 1.5 km · 40 km · 10 kmJunior 16–19 · U23 18–23Elite drafting is legalOpen the 9-block guide → Sport Climbing — Boulder, lead and speed — now three separate Olympic events at LA28 — the World Climbing licence, age rule, Asia qualifiers, India's youth speed record and the cash awards.LA28: boulder · lead · speedAsia qualifier in each eventIndia U18 speed record 8.89 sOpen the 9-block guide → Surfing — Shortboard surfing — LA28's 24 + 24 places, the ISA World Surfing Games and the Asian Games route, India's first Asian Games surfing spots and first Asian medal.LA28: 24 men · 24 womenAsian Games 2026 = LA28 routeIndia's first Asian Games surf spotsOpen the 9-block guide → Skateboarding — Park and street skateboarding — LA28's 22 skaters per event, the World Skateboarding Ranking, the minimum age of 14, and India's first skateparks.LA28: park + street22 skaters per eventMin. age 14 in 2028Open the 9-block guide → Modern Pentathlon — One athlete, several sports in a day — LA28's 32 + 32 places, five Asian places from the 2027 Asian Championships, the fencing ranking and the cash awards.LA28: 32 men · 32 womenAsia: top 5 at 2027 Asian ChampsAsian Games sport tooOpen the 9-block guide → Diving — Springboard and platform diving — how judges score 0 to 10, degree of difficulty, dives per round, LA28's 8 events and age rule, and the Railways and CRPF posts for divers.Judges score 0–10 in half pointsScore × degree of difficultyLA28: 3 m + 10 m, solo + synchroOpen the 9-block guide → Artistic Swimming — Routines to music in the water — two judging panels, 0 to 10 in quarter points, time limits for each routine, LA28's team and duet events (men allowed in the team), the age rule and the honest job picture.2 panels of 5 judgesLA28: 10 teams + 18 duetsUp to 2 men in a teamOpen the 9-block guide → Breaking — Breaking battles — 1 vs 1 rounds, judges comparing five criteria on sliders, age groups from 12, the no-contact and misbehaviour rules, the Asian Games, and the Sports Ministry's cash awards.1 vs 1 battles, set for set5 criteria × 20% eachAsian Games 2026 sportOpen the 9-block guide → SAI, NIS & sports-quota careers guideOpen the guide → -
Domain 4 of 5
Mind & Strategy
Rating-and-title sports — no weight or height rule, but a strict ladder of FIDE ratings and norms. Chess — FIDE rating and title rules, GM norms, AICF age-group nationals, arbiter route and the chess clause in sports-quota jobs.GM = 2500 + normsRating floor 1400GM/IM titles count for jobsOpen the 9-block guide → BridgeCarrom -
Domain 5 of 5
Classical Performing Arts
Classical dance and music — guru training, Doordarshan and AIR grades, Akademi honours and the scholarships that pay for it. Kathak — Kathak Kendra's age-banded courses, Doordarshan dance grades, SNA awards, ICCR empanelment and the scholarships that pay for training.Foundation course at 10–15DD grades B → TopSNA Yuva up to age 40Open the 9-block guide → Bharatanatyam — Kalakshetra's 4-year diploma and children's Pratama classes, Doordarshan grades, SNA awards, ICCR empanelment and who pays for training.Kalakshetra diploma: max age 25Pratama classes at 7–17DD grades B → TopOpen the 9-block guide → Hindustani Music — Vocal and instrumental: AIR's B-to-Top grading, the approved raga and tala lists, Gandharva exam levels, SNA awards and the scholarships for training.AIR grades B → TopTop only after 10 yrs in A60 ragas on AIR's listOpen the 9-block guide → Carnatic Music — Vocal, veena, violin, flute and mridangam: AIR's raga groups and audition format, Kalakshetra's diploma and Pratama classes, SNA awards and scholarships.AIR list: 15 items, 3 raga groupsKalakshetra: 3 hrs main class dailyPratama at 7–17Open the 9-block guide → Performing Arts career guide (dance, music, theatre)Open the guide → OdissiKuchipudiKathakaliManipuriMohiniyattamSattriyaTheatre
Financial cost breakdown
Who pays at each level
The same central government ladder sits under every Olympic sport. A family pays least when the child climbs it early — district medals open the first door.
Who pays at each level — the central government ladder [5][6][3]
| Level | Scheme | What the athlete gets |
|---|---|---|
| Age 8–14, school | SAI National Sports Talent Contest (adopted schools, akharas) | Kit ₹2,000 · competition exposure ₹2,000 · stipend ₹3,000 for 10 months, each a year |
| Age 9–18, talent hunt | KIRTI (Khelo India Rising Talent Identification) | Talent Assessment Centres (174) test children for a place in the pipeline |
| Age 12–18, district/state medallist | SAI Training Centre (STC) | Training at state-built infrastructure with SAI coaches; entry after a battery of tests |
| Scouted elite junior | SAI National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) | Residential training, coaches, sports science and individual diets set by nutritionists |
| Scouted national talent | Khelo India Athlete (KIA) | ₹6.28 lakh a year for training, coaching, education, equipment — ₹1.20 lakh of it paid to the athlete as cash |
| Junior medal prospect | TOPS Development Group | ₹25,000 a month out-of-pocket allowance |
| Olympic / Paralympic prospect | TOPS Core Group | ₹50,000 a month + the whole training plan approved by the Mission Olympic Cell |
| Athlete in need | Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund | Up to ₹2.50 lakh for training, equipment and competitions |
| Retired champion | Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons | ₹12,000 to ₹20,000 a month |
Cash award for a senior medal (₹ lakh) [4]
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic / Paralympic Games | 75 | 50 | 30 |
| Asian Games / Commonwealth Games | 30 | 20 | 10 |
| World Championship / World Cup — every 4 years | 40 | 25 | 15 |
| World Championship / World Cup — every 2 years | 20 | 14 | 8 |
| World Championship / World Cup — every year | 10 | 7 | 4 |
Team members (including reserves) get 75% of the matching individual amount; the coach gets 50% of the athlete's award; claims go through the DBT-MIS portal within six months of the event. [4]
Post-athletic horizons
Central government sports-quota jobs — the rules in six lines
- Sports-quota appointments are allowed only to Group C (and erstwhile Group D) posts filled by direct recruitment outside UPSC — never to Group A or B by direct recruitment.
- Departments may hold back up to 5% of the vacancies they send to the Staff Selection Commission for sportspersons, as long as sports plus all other reservations stay within 50%.
- Upper age limit is relaxed by up to 5 years (10 years for SC/ST) for qualifying sportspersons.
- Since 4 March 2024, medal winners of the Khelo India Youth Games (above-18 category), University, Para and Winter Games, Junior Nationals and SGFI school games also qualify; their certificate comes from the SAI officer in charge.
- First preference goes to those who represented India; then State/UT medallists (up to 3rd) at Senior or Junior Nationals or the National Games; then university, Khelo India and school-games medallists.
- A serving employee can earn up to three out-of-turn promotions in a career for medals at the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games or World Championships. [1][2]
Official sources & verification
Where these facts come from
Education Margdarshan builds this cockpit only from Government of India files and the governing bodies' own rule books, read on 15 October 2026. Each sport page lists its own sources.
- DoPT — Instructions on Recruitment/Promotion for Sportspersons (consolidated, 18 Nov 2022) (opens in a new tab) List of 65 qualifying sports, Group C limit, 5% / 50% ceiling, age relaxation, out-of-turn promotion · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- DoPT Office Memorandum 14034/1/2020-Pers. Policy (D), 4 March 2024 — Incentive for Sportspersons (opens in a new tab) Revised eligibility (Khelo India Games, Junior Nationals, SGFI, chess titles), certifying authorities, order of preference · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- PIB — Financial Support to Athletes (Lok Sabha reply, 5 Aug 2024) (opens in a new tab) Khelo India ₹6.28 lakh, TOPS Core ₹50,000 and Development ₹25,000, welfare fund, pension, cash awards · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- MYAS — Scheme of Cash Incentive to Medal Winners and their Coaches (amended 1 Feb 2025) (opens in a new tab) Cash award amounts by event, coach share, six-month DBT-MIS deadline · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- SAI — Brief on Sports Promotional Schemes 2024-25 (NCOE, STC, NSTC) (opens in a new tab) NCOE centres and disciplines, STC selection criteria, NSTC financial norms · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
- PIB — India's Sporting Transformation (backgrounder, 10 June 2025) (opens in a new tab) KIRTI (ages 9–18, 174 Talent Assessment Centres), Khelo India Games, TOPS core group size · Last checked 15 Oct 2026
Spotted something out of date? Email margdarshan07support10@gmail.com with the official link and Education Margdarshan will update it.