Lok Sabha Question No. 3723 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-16
Subject: Academic Course Conducted in NCSSR
Ministry: YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
Asked by: Shri Arvind Ganpat Sawant, Shri Sanjay Uttamrao Deshmukh, Shri Sanjay Haribhau Jadhav

## Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports

## Government of India Department of Sports

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3723

TO BE ANSWERED ON 16.03.2026

## Academic Course Conducted in NCSSR

3723. SHRI ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT:

SHRI SANJAY UTTAMRAO DESHMUKH:

SHRI SANJAY HARIBHAU JADHAV:

Will the Minister of YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the steps taken by the Government to increase the participation of players in sports in the country;
- (b) the details of the number of National Centres of Sports Science and Research (NCSSR) proposed, under-implementation and currently operational in the country, State-wise, particularly in Maharashtra;
- (c)  the  details  of  academic  courses  being  offered  in  the  NCSSR across the country during the last five years and the current year, year and institution-wise along with the number of graduates passed thereunder;
- (d)  the  details  of  NCSSR-wise  total  funds  allocated,  released  and utilized during the said period, especially in Maharashtra;
- (e)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  increase  the  number  of NCSSR in the country and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the details of the steps taken by the Government for construction of playgrounds, especially in Washim-Yavatmal Parliamentary Constituency of Maharashtra?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS [DR. MANSUKH MANDAVIYA]

(a) 'Sports' being a State subject, promotion of sports in a State/UT is the primary responsibility of the respective State/UT Governments. However, the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports supports the efforts of  State  Governments,  through  Sports  Authority  of  India  (SAI),  to identify talented sportspersons in the various age groups and nurture them to excel at national and international levels through National Centres of Excellence (NCoEs), SAI Training Centres (STCs), Extension Centres of STC and National Sports Talent Contest (NSTC) (its Sub-Schemes - Regular Schools, IGMAs & Adopted Akharas).

Further, Government has implemented the Khelo India Scheme as its flagship initiative since 2017 to promote a sports culture, encourage mass  participation,  and  nurture  excellence  through  a  structured national ecosystem through its components i.e. Khelo India Centres (KICs),  Khelo  India  State  Centres  of  Excellence  (KISCEs)  and Accredited Academies.

(b)  and  (c)  Under  the  National  Centre  of  Sports  Sciences  and Research  (NCSSR)  Scheme,  Sports  Science  services  are  delivered through a Hub-And-Spoke model, wherein the NCSSR located at Indira Gandhi Stadium Complex, New Delhi, functions as the national hub, providing sports science support to the Sports Authority of India's National  Centres  of  Excellence  (NCoEs)  and  High-Performance Centres across the country. At present, sports science infrastructure under  the  scheme  has  been  extended  to  11  National  Centres  of Excellence (NCoEs) and 2 High Performance Centres including the NCoE at Aurangabad, Maharashtra.

Further, NCSSR Scheme supports academic and research activities in sports sciences through collaboration with selected universities and  medical  institutions  in  order  to  develop  trained  manpower  in sports science and sports medicine. Academic programmes supported  under  the  scheme  include  postgraduate  and  research programmes such as M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Sports Sciences in disciplines such  as  exercise  physiology,  biomechanics,  sports  nutrition  and related fields. The data regarding the number of graduates passed under these programmes is maintained by the respective Universities/Institutes concerned.

- (d) A total financial outlay of ₹260.00 crore has been approved under the NCSSR Scheme for strengthening sports science infrastructure and  academic  capacity  in  the  country.  The  approved  components include:
-  Establishment  and  operationalisation  of  NCSSR  at  Indira  Gandhi Stadium, New Delhi - ₹46.00 crore
-  Provision  of  sports  science  equipment  and  scientific  support systems at 11 NCoEs and 2 High Performance Centres - ₹77.70 crore
- Establishment of Sports Science Departments in selected universities - ₹73.80 crore
- Establishment of Sports Medicine Departments in identified medical colleges - ₹62.50 crore
-  Under  the  NCoE  component,  ₹5.17  crore  per  NCoE  has  been approved for strengthening sports science infrastructure and equipment, including the NCoE at Aurangabad, Maharashtra.
- (e) No, Sir. However, the Government is committed to progressively strengthen  sports  science  support  systems  across  the  country  to enhance athlete performance and support India's high-performance sports ecosystem.
- (f)  Under  the  'Creation  and  Up-gradation  of  Sports  Infrastructure' component of the Khelo India Scheme (KIS) and the National Sports Development Fund (NSDF), the Government provides financial assistance for development of sports infrastructure such as synthetic athletic tracks, synthetic  hockey  fields,  synthetic  turf football grounds, multipurpose halls and swimming pools across the country, including in the State of Maharashtra.

The  details  of  approved  projects  and  their  physical  and  financial progress, under the KIS and NSDF, across the country are available in the public domain on the Ministry's dashboards at https://mdsd.kheloindia.gov.in and http://www.nsdf.yas.gov.in/nsdfglance.html.

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