Parliament Question: AI-based Athlete Assessment

Government of India Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports Department of Sports LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2360 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03.08.2026 AI-based Athlete Assessment

2360. Shri Naresh Ganpat Mhaske:

Shri Ravindra Dattaram Waikar:

Shri Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne:

Dr. Shrikant Eknath Shinde:

Smt. Bharti Pardhi:

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

(a) the details of total volume of grassroots student profiles successfully mapped and vetted during the intensified talent scouting phase ended June 2026 particularly in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh;

(b) the details of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven physiological evaluation parameters used to assess the baseline athletic durability of youth across aspirational blocks;

(c) the structural checks established to prevent local athletic academies from double-claiming central scholarship disbursements for identical trainee pools;

(d) the criteria used to select infrastructure-ready rural schools for transformation into specialized regional feeder centres for national centres of excellence;

(e) the details of measures taken by the Government to implement to execute Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) of nutritional and equipment allowances to verified candidate bank accounts of eligible candidates; and

(f) the projected expansion of the competitive sports talent pipeline Page 1 of 3in tier-two and tier-three cities following these digital tracking interventions particularly in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS & SPORTS [DR. MANSUKH MANDAVIYA]

(a) Athletes are identified and scouted from recognised tournaments as per benchmarks recommended by Talent Identification and Development Committee (TIDC) in each discipline.

In Maharashtra, 43 Khelo India Centres (KICs) actively train and profile 1,598 young athletes. In Madhya Pradesh, 52 Khelo India Centres (KICs) actively train and profile 1,342 young athletes.

(b) Baseline physiological assessments undertaken under talent identification or sports science programmes are based on established scientific protocols and standardized field and laboratory measurements, with interpretation carried out by qualified sports science professionals.

The physiological parameters commonly assessed include anthropometric characteristics (height, body mass, body composition), cardiovascular fitness (heart rate, blood pressure, aerobic capacity where feasible), muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, speed, agility, balance, and selected sport-specific physical fitness tests.

(c) Every identified Khelo India Athlete (KIA) is assigned a unique National Sports Repository System (NSRS) ID linked to Aadhaar.

Funds are released to Khelo India Accredited Academies (KIAA) as per the attendance marked by the Khelo India Athlete (KIA) on NSRS Portal which helps prevent duplicate claims and multiple disbursements for the same athlete.

Further, all direct financial assistance are disbursed directly to verified candidate bank accounts.

(d) Various parameters, including the availability and adequacy of sports infrastructure, residential facilities, the overall sports ecosystem, athlete potential, operational viability, and other relevant Page 2 of 3considerations, are taken into account while assessing the suitability of a particular facility for adoption under the National Centre of Excellence (NCOE) scheme. The establishment of NCOE Schemes under SAI is considered on receiving a proposal from the State Government & other Authorities.

Further, rural schools and district sports complexes are selected as Khelo India Centres based on proposals submitted by State Governments based on technical feasibility, availability of land, and other parameters which are evaluated and approved in the Departmental Project Approval Committee.

(e) & (f) Under the athlete-centric financial framework of the Khelo India Scheme, each identified athlete (including from the state of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh) is entitled to an annual financial assistance package of ₹6.28 lakh per annum, structured through a dual-disbursement mechanism via which a direct monthly Out-of- Pocket Allowance (OPA) of ₹10,000 (totalling ₹1.20 lakh per annum) is remitted directly into the athlete’s verified bank account and the remaining balance of the annual outlay—covering high-performance coaching, specialized nutrition diets, lodging, equipment, and sports science support—is transferred directly to the accredited training academy upon submission of verified claims for the Khelo India Athletes (KIAs).

***** Page 3 of 3