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Wushu — sanda fights, taolu routines & the Asian Games road

Governed by International Wushu Federation (IWUF) · Wushu Association of India (WAI) ·Official rule books & government schemes only ·Last checked 17 Oct 2026

Education Margdarshan's wushu map for India in simple words: the two halves of the sport — sanda (kick-boxing style fights) and taolu (judged routines) — how points are won in each, the age groups and weight classes, the papers you need, the SAI wushu centres, India's Asian Games and World Cup medals, who pays and the jobs that follow.

📍 See The Journey / Full Roadmap IWUF Sanda rules 2024 (PDF) (opens in a new tab) IWUF Taolu rules 2024 (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
Sanda bout
3 rounds × 2 min — win 2 rounds [1]
Taolu full score
10 points (5 quality · 3 performance · 2 difficulty) [2]
Adult sanda age
18 to 40 · youth 15–17 · junior 12–14 [1]
Asian Games 2026
Silver — Roshibina Devi, women's 60 kg sanda [5]
01 Core rules & selection formats

Two sports in one: sanda fights and taolu routines

Wushu is the Chinese martial art played as a sport. Sanda is a fight on a raised platform with punches, kicks and throws. Taolu is a solo routine of set moves — bare-handed or with a weapon — scored by judges, like gymnastics. [1][2]

Sanda — how points are won [1]

Sanda — how points are won
ActionPoints
Kick to the body or head2
Opponent falls off the platform2
Opponent falls while you stay standing (a throw)2
Opponent gets a warning, or a forced count2
Punch to the body or head1
Kick to the thigh1
Opponent gets an admonishment, or fails to attack within 5 seconds when told to1
  • A bout is three rounds of two minutes with a minute's rest; the first to win two rounds wins the bout. Junior and youth events may use 1 minute 30 seconds.
  • If one fighter leads by 12 points or more in a round (confirmed by five side judges), that fighter is declared the winner of the bout.
  • No points for a strike while holding or clinching, or for unclear techniques. [1]

Taolu — the 10-point score [2]

Taolu — the 10-point score
Part of the scorePointsJudged by
Quality of movements5Group A judges — mistakes are deducted
Overall performance (power, rhythm, style, music)3Group B judges
Degree of difficulty (jumps, balances and their links)2Group C judges
  • Main taolu events: Changquan (long fist), Nanquan (southern fist) and Taijiquan; weapons Daoshu (broadsword), Jianshu (straight sword), Gunshu (staff), Qiangshu (spear), Nandao, Nangun and Taijijian.
  • Adult optional routines of Changquan, Nanquan and the weapons last 1 min 20 s to 1 min 35 s; taiji routines 2 min 45 s to 3 min 15 s. [2]
02 Institutional & global recognition

Asian Games, World Cups, World Games — and India's medals

  • Wushu is an Asian Games sport (Aichi-Nagoya 2026) and a World Games sport (sanda and taolu at Chengdu 2025). It is not in the Olympic programme. [3][4]
  • Asian Games 2026: Roshibina Devi Naorem won silver in women's 60 kg sanda — her third Asian Games medal after bronze in 2018 and silver in 2023.
  • World Games 2025: Namrata Batra won silver in women's 52 kg — India's first-ever wushu medal at the World Games.
  • Sanda World Cup (Macau): India won 2 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze; Shivani (BSF, 75 kg) and Aparna (52 kg) took gold.
  • India will host the Asian Senior Wushu Championships in 2028 for the first time. [5][6][7][8]

Government cash award for a senior wushu medal (₹ lakh) [9]

Government cash award for a senior wushu medal (₹ lakh)
EventGoldSilverBronze
Asian Games302010
Wushu World Cup (every 2 years)20148
Asian Championship (every 4 years)15105
03 Physical benchmarks & anti-doping

Age groups, medical papers and the weigh-in

IWUF age groups [1][2]

IWUF age groups
GroupSandaTaolu
Adult18 to 4018 and above
Youth15 to 1715 to 17
Junior12 to 1412 to 14
Children9 to 1111 and below
  • A sanda fighter needs a valid passport, life-insurance certificate and a health certificate with EEG, ECG, blood pressure and heart rate from a check-up done within 15 days before registration.
  • Weigh-in: lighter classes first; each class has one hour. Miss your registered class in that hour and you cannot fight in the event. A class with only one fighter is cancelled.
  • Bring your own sanda kit in both red and blue. Breathing oxygen between rounds is banned, as is any doping. [1]

Sanda weight classes (kg) [1]

Sanda weight classes (kg)
GroupClasses
Adult48 · 52 · 56 · 60 · 65 · 70 · 75 · 80 · 85 · 90 · 100 · +100
Youth (15–17)48 · 52 · 56 · 60 · 65 · 70 · 75 · 80 · 85 · 90
Junior (12–14)39 · 42 · 45 · 48 · 52 · 56 · 60 · 64 · 68 · 72
  • 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. [10]
04 Grassroots-to-elite residential pipeline

From the club to the national camp

  1. 1Grassroots & local entry From 9
  2. 2State to national breakthrough 12–17 · 12–18
  3. 3National camp & elite trials Scouted
  4. 4International orbit Senior
The full Wushu 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 India's wushu players train

SAI National Centres of Excellence with wushu [12]

SAI National Centres of Excellence with wushu
CentreOther sports there
Bhopal, Madhya PradeshAthletics, boxing, hockey, judo, kayaking & canoeing
Imphal, ManipurArchery, athletics, cycling, fencing, football, hockey, judo, weightlifting
Itanagar, Arunachal PradeshBoxing, weightlifting

Wushu is also one of the 27 sports at SAI Training Centres (ages 12–18). [12]

06 Equipment costs & who pays

Kit, gloves and who pays the bills

  • Sanda: IWUF-approved shorts and vest (one red set, one blue), gloves whose weight depends on your class — 230 g for women and men up to 65 kg, 280 g for men 70–85 kg, 330 g for men 90 kg and above — in red or blue with the headgear and chest protector (younger groups also wear shin and instep guards). You bring your own mouthguard, groin cup and hand wraps (3.5–4.5 m long).
  • Taolu: routine costume and IWUF-standard weapons for your events. Education Margdarshan does not print shop prices — no governing body publishes them. [1][2]

Who pays — wushu ladder [12][13]

Who pays — wushu 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
  • Weight-cutting with pills or powders is a doping risk: no supplement is 100% safe and strict liability applies. [11]
07 Earning channels & central job quotas

Awards, pension and sports-quota jobs

  • Wushu 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 or World Championships can bring up to three out-of-turn promotions. [14]
  • CRPF's 2026 sports quota has 20 wushu posts: taolu (nanquan, changquan with jianshu or daoshu, taijiquan) and sanda 45 to 70 kg. [16]
  • Pension to Meritorious Sportspersons: ₹12,000–20,000 a month after retirement. [13]
08 Disqualification traps

Mistakes that end a wushu tournament

  • Missing the weigh-in hour for your class — you are out of the event.
  • An old medical — the EEG/ECG health certificate must be from the last 15 days.
  • Only one kit colour — you need both red and blue.
  • Taolu routine too short or too long — timing is part of the rules; check your event's limits. [1][2]
09 Real-world player doubts

Sanda or taolu, late start, jobs and money — straight answers

Should I choose sanda or taolu?

Sanda suits a fighter who likes contact: punches, kicks and throws, by weight class. Taolu suits someone strong in flexibility, jumps and balance: you perform set routines and judges give up to 10 points. Both are Asian Games events, and CRPF's 2026 quota had posts in both. [1][2][3][16]

I am 18 or 20. Is it too late to start wushu?

Not for competing: adult sanda runs from 18 to 40, and adult taolu has no upper limit. It is late for the free pipelines — SAI Training Centres take ages 12–18 — so a late starter trains at a club and must win at state and national level to be noticed. The real clock is the job deadline: Railways sports quota stops at 25 and CRPF at 23 (28 for an unreserved sportsperson after relaxation). [1][2][12][15][16]

Which government jobs can wushu get me?

Central Group C posts under DoPT rules list wushu among 65 sports. CRPF's 2026 sports quota had 20 wushu posts in sanda and taolu. Railways recruit zone by zone — Western Railway's 2026-27 notice had no wushu posts, so read every zone's notice. [14][16][15]

Sports-quota job routes open in 2026 — age, qualifying results, pay [15][16]

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. [15][16]

We are a lower-middle-class family. How do we keep costs down?

Aim for the free seats: SAI Training Centres and the wushu NCOEs at Bhopal, Imphal and Itanagar give coaching, boarding, sports science and diet; a Khelo India athlete gets ₹6.28 lakh a year. A player in hardship can apply to the PDU National Welfare Fund for up to ₹2.50 lakh. [12][13]

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. Several private bodies use 'wushu' or 'kung fu' in their names — check that your nationals are run by the federation affiliated to IWUF and the IOA. [15][16]

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. IWUF — Wushu Sanda Competition Rules & Judging Methods (2024) (opens in a new tab) Bout format, age groups, papers, weight classes, weigh-in, kit and glove weights, points, 12-point gap rule · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  2. IWUF — Wushu Taolu Competition Rules and Judging Methods (2024) (opens in a new tab) Events, age groups, routine durations, 10-point scoring (5 / 3 / 2) · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  3. Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games — Sports (opens in a new tab) Wushu on the 2026 Asian Games programme · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  4. International World Games Association — The World Games 2025, Chengdu (opens in a new tab) Wushu (sanda, taolu) on the World Games programme · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  5. All India Radio News — Asian Games: India wins silver medals in mixed relay and wushu (2026) (opens in a new tab) Roshibina Devi Naorem silver, women's 60 kg sanda; her earlier Asian Games medals · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  6. All India Radio News — India's Namrata Batra wins country's first-ever wushu medal at the World Games (opens in a new tab) Silver, women's 52 kg, Chengdu 2025 · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  7. All India Radio News — Wushu: Indian team wins five medals at the 11th Sanda World Cup, Macau (opens in a new tab) 2 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze; Shivani (BSF, 75 kg) and Aparna (52 kg) gold · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  8. All India Radio News — India to host Asian Senior Wushu Championships for first time in 2028 (19 Sep 2026) (opens in a new tab) Asian Senior Wushu Championships 2028 in India; WAI on the Wushu Federation of Asia board · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  9. MYAS — Scheme of Cash Incentive to Medal Winners (amended 1 Feb 2025) (opens in a new tab) Asian Games amounts; wushu World Cup (biennial) and Asian Championship (quadrennial) · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  10. NADA India — Athlete's Rights & Responsibilities (opens in a new tab) Testing availability, Prohibited List, TUE · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  11. NADA India — Managing the Risk of Nutritional Supplements (opens in a new tab) Supplement risk, strict liability · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  12. SAI — Brief on Sports Promotional Schemes 2024-25 (opens in a new tab) Wushu NCOEs (Bhopal, Imphal, Itanagar), STC entry (ages 12–18) · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  13. PIB — Financial Support to Athletes (5 Aug 2024) (opens in a new tab) Khelo India, welfare fund, pension · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  14. DoPT — Instructions on Recruitment/Promotion for Sportspersons (18 Nov 2022) (opens in a new tab) Wushu in the 65-sport list, Group C, out-of-turn promotion · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  15. 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 wushu posts in this notice, MoYAS-recognition rule, fees · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  16. 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) 521 posts incl. 20 wushu (sanda and taolu) posts, age and relaxation, qualifications, fee, ₹1 lakh bond · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. LA28 — 2028 Olympic Games Plan (sports list) (opens in a new tab) Artistic, rhythmic and trampoline gymnastics at LA28 · Last checked 17 Oct 2026
  20. 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

Spotted something out of date? Email margdarshan07support10@gmail.com with the official link and Education Margdarshan will update it.

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