Sports Ministry instructs IOA, PCI, NSFs to plan calendars well in advance

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has issued a set of instructions to National Sports Federations (NSF), Paralympic Committee of India and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) ostensibly  to ensure proper norms are adhered to, their national character is honoured and national diversity and integrity is respected.

In a directive to IOA, PCI and NSFs, the Ministry has said that compliance with the latest instructions will be a part of the review process for NSFs seeking annual recognition from.  “Ministry remains committed to ensuring that the governance of sports in India conforms with the principles of good governance, transparency and accountability as embodied in the Olympic Charters and Sports Code,” an official of the Ministry wrote in letter.

Overlooking the fact that each NSF already presents its Annual Calendar of Training and Competition (ACTC) to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to get budget allocation for national camps and international competitive exposure for its athletes, the Ministry has instructed IOA, PCI and NSFs “to plan and publish their respective annual calendars”.

Ministry has instructed IOA to inform the Ministry of the composition of the Games Technical Conduct Committee six months before a National Games, a list of disciplines that have been included in the National Games and the reasons for exclusion of any disciplines that have been part of any of the three previous National Games.

Further, the Ministry has instructed IOA to submit eligibility criteria for competitors to represent their States in the National Games and copies of all agreements entered into and permissions got from the respective State Government and its departments and agreements with venue owners.

It has also directed the IOA to seek permission from the Ministry at least 60 days before the National Games if it includes disciplines whose NSFs are not recognised by the Ministry and to secure its permission to form committees to look after the conduct of competition in these disciplines.

Similarly, NSFs have been instructed to submit a list of events at least 60 days before the Nationals and to explain if some events that have been held in any of three last editions but being excluded from the impending competition. It has also told NSFs to submit eligibility criteria for entry of competitors including transfer of allegiance from one team to another.

Of course, NSFs can take the route that the Board of Control for Cricket in India has taken. BCCI has never sought recognition from the Ministry as an NSF and yet it uses the term India without issue. But with most NSFs dependent on the Ministry for funds to stay afloat, few may want to risk displeasing Government’s instructions.

A couple of things stick out, though. Bound by the August 16, 2022, judgement of the High Court of Delhi that insisted that the Ministry not grant annual recognition to NSFs that are not compliant with the National Sports Development Code of India, Ministry has given annual recognition to NSFs for the last couple of years only after the year has lapsed.

By asking NSFs to share the schedules for each calendar year by December of the preceding year, it would appear as if the Ministry officials believe that international sport follows the calendar year to schedule its competitions. NSFs plan their annual calendars based on the international schedule rather than on calendar year. 

As irony will have it, planning and publishing annual calendars has not been followed for the Ministry’s flagship Khelo India Games themselves. NSFs annual calendars have not included the Khelo India Youth Games or the Khelo India University Games because the schedule these events are not decided even six months in advance.

The most recent edition of Khelo India Youth Games 2025 Bihar was held 10 days after the World Youth Weightlifting Championships in Lima, Peru and less than a month after the Asian Youth Athletics Championships in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. In a more logical set up, the Khelo India Youth Games would have been held before such prestigious international competition.