Professional Athlete

Training every day under a coach, competing in tournaments, managing fitness, diet and rest, travelling for events, and building a public profile. Income can come from prize money, government support, a sports job with an employer, or sponsors, though sponsorship is usually limited to the top few.

A day in the work
A typical day starts early with a warm-up, then a skills or strength session under a coach. Afternoons often go to school or college work, recovery, physiotherapy and a meal plan. Some evenings are spent on video review, travel planning or emails to organisers.

1. Step 1 · Class 7–10Play one or two sports regularly at school and enter school and district events. The National School Games are run by the School Games Federation of India, and these events are a common first step for scouts.
2. Step 2 · Class 10–12Create a profile on the National Sports Repository System (NSRS), the government's digital sports record. Keep your age proof, medals and certificates in one folder, because scouts and schemes ask for them.
3. Step 3 · Class 11–12Compete in state and district leagues and national championships. Talent scouts from the Khelo India Talent Identification and Development Committee watch these events. Shortlisted athletes go to assessment camps for skill, fitness, medical and age checks.
4. Step 4 · After selectionSelected athletes can be given Khelo India Athlete status. Official material describes a monthly out-of-pocket allowance of about ₹10,000, and training support of up to ₹5 lakh a year for up to 8 years. Athletes may be placed in a Khelo India Accredited Academy or a Sports Authority of India National Centre of Excellence.
5. Step 5 · CollegeCompete at the Khelo India University Games and inter-university tournaments while completing your degree. Balancing exams with training is the hardest part of this stage for most athletes.
6. Step 6 · Elite levelThe Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) is run by the Mission Olympic Cell. Athletes are not usually applicants; they are identified, invited to submit a training plan, and reviewed regularly. Reported: monthly allowances for TOPS core and development groups are said to be ₹50,000 and ₹25,000, but I could not confirm the current figures on an official page. (reported — check with the official body)
7. Step 7 · Optional, for job securitySports quota jobs in Railways, banks, police and other government bodies are open to athletes who meet the notice's achievement rules. Read each notice closely: many include a trial, a typing test and a multi-year service bond.

• Khelo India and national talent routescouting at school, district and national events, then assessment camps and scheme support.
• Academy and centre routeselection into a government National Centre of Excellence or an accredited academy, which can start after Class 10 or 12.
• Sports quota job routea salaried government or PSU post in which you play for the employer's team, with a trial and an achievement-based selection.

Fees from: How to become a Khelo India Athlete (official PDF) · Khelo India official portal · PIB Factsheet: Khelo India (Government of India) · Khelo India press release, SAI releases OPA (kheloindia.gov.in). Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

Earnings vary widely: a small group at the top earns well from prizes, sponsors and state rewards, while most athletes earn little for years and rely on schemes, a job or other work.

The 2026–31 revamp of Khelo India says it places special emphasis on women athletes and para-athletes. Sports quota notices do not usually give extra relaxations, so check each notice's own rules.

• Class 7–9Join your school team or a school sports day, and keep a simple training diary for one term.
• Class 10–12Ask your school sports teacher to help you set up your NSRS profile, and collect your age proof and certificates.Open link ↗
• College or afterRead one current sports quota notice from a railway or bank, and list the eligibility and trial rules line by line.Open link ↗

• There is no direct application for Khelo India Athlete status. Officials say athletes are identified at competitions, and you register on NSRS to be tracked.
• Government sports quota jobs for sportspersons are open only for Group C or erstwhile Group D posts through direct recruitment. Group A and Group B posts cannot be filled this way.
• Sports quota notices do not usually give category relaxations. Read each one closely; one 2025-26 railway notice asked for a five-year service bond.