India might soon move towards a structured, well-funded system to train and reward sports coaches, with a new national framework proposing clear incentives, a dedicated “TOPS for Coaches” model and convergence of multiple government schemes to support the grassroots sports coaching.
The aim is to build a strong coaching ecosystem that can back India’s ambition of becoming a leading sporting nation by 2047, according to the last report by Pullela Gopichand–led Task Force.
The Task Force report proposed a detailed “Funding & Incentives” strategy so that coach development is not left to ad-hoc budgets.
It suggested separate short-term and long-term funding plans, tied to clear monitoring and evaluation, to promote meritocracy and keep development goals in focus.
The report argued that independent structures like the National Coach Accreditation Board (NCAB) must have dedicated budgets and long-term autonomy, otherwise real reform will not take root.
‘TOPS for Coaches’ support
The report recommended a parallel “TOPS for Coaches” scheme, drawing inspiration from the Target Olympic Podium Scheme for athletes.
Under this scheme, high-potential and high-performing coaches (at grassroots or elite level) would be identified by federations, SAI and NCAB and funded for advanced training, technology tools, exposure visits, support staff and innovation in coaching.
Grants would be linked to specific development plans and outcomes, with regular reporting on how funds helped athlete performance or talent development.
The framework also suggested “Pathway Progression Grants” for centres and state programmes if a set percentage of their athletes move up from district to state or state to national level, directly linking money to athlete progress.
Another key suggestion was extra funding or priority proposed for institutions with strong Safe Sport compliance and for coaches who keep upgrading themselves through Continuous Professional Development.
The report also called for special scholarships for women coaches, those in underserved regions and those working with athletes with disabilities.
Tapping PMKVY, CSR and other schemes
To reduce pressure on any single ministry, the report detailed how existing schemes can be aligned: using PMKVY to subsidise entry-level coach training, UGC/RUSA funds for coaching centres in universities, the National Sports Development Fund for high-performance coach workshops, and CSR funds for grassroots coach training and infrastructure.
The unified framework report by the Task Force led by Pullela Gopichand was submitted to the Sports Ministry to push for an inclusive, future-ready coaching ecosystem in India.
"In alignment with the Government of India’s vision of Viksit Bharat @2047 and the objective of establishing India as a leading global sporting nation, the Task Force constituted by the Department of Sports to review the coaching ecosystem in line with international best practices has submitted its report," the sports ministry said in a statement, "The Task Force, led by Indian badminton national head coach Pullela Gopichand, examined key aspects of coach education and training, including the quality and availability of coaches, academic reforms in coach education, and systemic measures to strengthen capacity building."