The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports on Tuesday launched a Comprehensive Internship Policy aimed at creating a structured and large-scale platform for nurturing young talent and strengthening India’s sports ecosystem.
The policy, titled ‘Comprehensive Internship Policy for Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports and its Autonomous Bodies’, will offer meaningful internship opportunities to college and university students across the Ministry and its key institutions, providing hands-on exposure to sports governance, administration and allied professional domains.
Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya said the initiative would empower young minds to contribute meaningfully to the country’s sporting journey.
“The transformation of India’s sports ecosystem requires strong institutional backing supported by skilled professionals and young talent. Through this internship programme, we are opening the doors of sports governance and administration to our youth, enabling them to gain hands-on experience and make a long-term impact in nation-building through sports,” Dr. Mandaviya said.
Under the new policy, a total of 452 internships will be offered annually across the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and its institutions, including the Sports Authority of India (SAI), National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) and National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL).
Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports said the initiative aims to build a robust talent pipeline in sports governance, administration, sports science, anti-doping, event management and athlete support services. The programme aligns with the objectives of the National Sports Policy and Khelo Bharat Niti 2025, with a focus on youth empowerment, capacity building and professionalisation of sports administration.
The internships will cover over 20 functional domains, including sports management, sports science, event operations, media and communications, legal affairs, IT systems, international sports governance and anti-doping. Special emphasis will be placed on sports science research, data analysis, laboratory testing and scientific athlete support.
Interns will receive structured onboarding and mentorship from domain experts, along with real-time exposure to policy formulation and implementation. They will contribute to flagship initiatives such as Khelo India, the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and the Target Asian Games Group (TAGG), and gain experience at SAI stadia, Regional Centres and National Centres of Excellence.
Interns placed with NADA will assist in anti-doping awareness, legal compliance and case management, while those at NDTL will gain exposure to advanced laboratory-based anti-doping processes, including sample analysis and research.
Two recruitment cycles will be conducted annually in January and July through a centralised online portal to ensure transparency, inclusivity and merit-based selection.
Ministry said the programme marks a significant step towards promoting clean sport, transparent governance and scientific advancement, reinforcing India’s commitment to fair play, athlete welfare and excellence in sports administration.
