Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports Revises Assistance Norms for National Sports Federations

(May 23) The Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports has announced revised norms of assistance to National Sports Federations (NSFs) under the Scheme of Assistance to NSFs. This revision follows the conclusion of the Paris Olympics 2024 and marks the start of a new Olympic cycle, aiming to better support India’s sporting ecosystem and its bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games.

The updated norms take into account inflation and increased costs related to training, infrastructure, equipment, and athlete welfare. Several components have seen enhanced financial support, alongside new measures introduced to strengthen grassroots and high-performance sports development.

Key highlights of the revised scheme include:

• Mandatory allocation of at least 20% of the NSF budget for grassroots development, focusing on junior and youth athletes via affiliate units to build a strong bench strength.
• At least 10% of funding dedicated to capacity building of coaches and technical staff through training programs, workshops, seminars, and certification courses both in India and abroad.
• Appointment of a Coaching Education Expert by each NSF to train trainers and build coaching expertise.
• NSFs with annual budgets of ₹10 crore or more must appoint a High-Performance Director (HPD) responsible for designing and monitoring technical development.
• NSFs to identify probable groups of senior and junior athletes with high-performance potential and strengthen their training academies, including support for specialized coaching and sports science services.
• Accreditation of select training academies by NSFs for structured and monitored training programs overseen by the HPD.
• A dietary allowance of ₹10,000 per month for probable group athletes on non-camp days to ensure proper nutrition.
• Up to 10% of funds to be allocated for administrative manpower to professionally manage NSF affairs, including roles like CEO, finance managers, coach development managers, IT, and legal personnel.
• Increased financial assistance for national championships: ₹90 lakh for High-Priority sports and ₹75 lakh for Priority sports.
• Financial support for hosting international events doubled to ₹2 crore.
• Salaries raised for coaches: Chief National Coach from ₹5 lakh to ₹7.5 lakh per month; other coaches from ₹2 lakh to ₹3 lakh per month.
• Diet charges increased to ₹1,000 per day for senior athletes and ₹850 per day for juniors.

The Ministry aims to foster a stronger sports culture, enhance athlete performance, and professionalize sports administration across the country through these comprehensive revisions.

This move reflects India’s growing commitment to sports excellence and the development of a robust pipeline of talent leading up to future Olympic Games and international competitions.