Sports Ministry announces internship programme with Rs 5.30 crore annual outlay, 452 paid positions across key sports bodies

What the Sports Ministry internship programme is about

The internship policy, formally titled the ‘Comprehensive Internship Policy for Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS) and its Autonomous Bodies’, is designed to provide structured, hands-on exposure to students and young professionals across a wide spectrum of sports-related domains.

According to the ministry, the programme seeks to build capacity in areas such as sports governance, administration, sports science, anti-doping, event management and athlete support services. Interns will be involved in both policy-level work and on-ground implementation, giving them insight into how India’s sports ecosystem functions institutionally.

Mandaviya said the initiative is also aimed at developing professionals capable of supporting elite athlete performance and hosting major international sporting events, strengthening India’s long-term sporting infrastructure.

Where interns will be placed and what they will work on

Interns will be deployed across MYAS and its autonomous bodies, including:

–Sports Authority of India (SAI)

–National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA)

–National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL)

They will work across 20+ functional domains, such as sports management, sports science, event operations, media and communications, legal affairs, IT systems, international sports governance and anti-doping.

As per the ministry, interns will contribute directly to flagship programmes such as Khelo India, Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), and the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG). Field exposure will include work at SAI stadia, Regional Centres (RCs), and National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs).

A special emphasis has been placed on sports science and clean sport. Interns posted with NADA will assist in anti-doping awareness, legal compliance, case management, and policy support, while those at NDTL will gain exposure to advanced laboratory-based anti-doping processes, including sample analysis and research.

Budget allocation: How the Rs 5.30 crore will be spent

According to the official budgetary break-up outlined in the programme document, the government has earmarked Rs 5.30 crore annually to fund the internship initiative. The allocation covers stipends for 452 interns across different organisations under the Sports Ministry.

MYAS will host 40 interns, with an estimated annual expenditure of Rs 48 lakh, covering two six-month batches.

Sports Authority of India (SAI) will account for the largest share, with 160 interns and an estimated annual outlay of Rs 1.80 crore, including interns engaged for UG-level, event and media-related roles.

SAI – Sports Science division will have 212 interns, with a budget of Rs 2.54 crore. These interns will be distributed across SAI headquarters, National Centres of Excellence, Regional Centres and sports science facilities, including NISS Patiala and SAI NSSC Bengaluru.

National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) will engage 20 interns, with an annual expenditure of Rs 24 lakh, spread across two six-month batches.

National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) will also take 20 interns, with an estimated budget of Rs 20 lakh, including two internship cycles each year.

Taken together, these allocations bring the total annual government spending on the internship programme to Rs 5.30 crore, entirely directed towards stipends and institutional training support.

What is the selection and training process

The internship programme will follow two recruitment cycles every year, scheduled in January and July. Selected interns will undergo structured onboarding, receive mentorship from domain experts and gain exposure to policy formulation and implementation within the sports administration framework.

The ministry said this structured approach is intended to ensure that interns are not limited to observational roles, but actively contribute to ongoing programmes and institutional work.

(With agency inputs)