The National Sports Policy of India(1984, revised 2001 and 2011) focuses on mass, talent search and elite performance with Khelo India, Bharatiya Khel and Special Area Games as some of the initiatives. The State Sports Policy of Rajasthan (2013, revised to revision draft-2024) has the athlete welfare, infrastructure and governance change as its areas of consideration. Major interventions will involve pension, medical insurance, digital transparency, open gyms, and hosting of Khelo India University Games 2025. Such bodies as SAI and RSSC are especially crucial. Among the obstacles, one can single out the lag in implementing policies, politics involved in the field of sports, and poor coverage in the distant localities.

Key Points for RAS Mains

Policies National Sports Policy - India

Evolution

• Originally set out in 1984, amended in 2001 and 2011 in an attempt to strengthen the infrastructure, coaching and sports science.
• Interest now dwelt on fully grassroots to full-spectrum athlete development routes.

Key Schemes

• Khelo India (2017): It would be implemented to develop the grassroots sports, inter-school/University competitions, sports science backup, and nurturing of talent.
• Bharatiya Khel: Facilitates the traditional Indian sporting activities in school education that is duly in line to NEP and IKS.
• Special Area Games Scheme: Focuses on infrastructure and identification of talent in tribal, rural, hilly and coastal areas.

Institutions

• Sports Authority of India (SAI): The administration of national level coaching, training and facilities.
• Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports: Formulates policies, disburses budgets and grants financial honors like Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar.

Significance

• Establishes an unending talent pipeline in local and global settings.
• Unifies the cultural sports heritage under Bharatiya Khel.
• Organizes sport at an institutional level where sport itself is controlled systematically and at the expense of the masses.

Challenges

• The access to grassroots is uneven in far-flung areas.
• The result of intervals in coordination between various states and agencies results in delays in implementation.
• Scalability of performance is impeded by infrastructural shortfalls.

Policy Evolution

• Based on Gehlot 2013 Policy: Emphasis on institutional practices, quotas in sports organisations and governance reforms poorly implemented- with most of it not being followed up except attempts to do the same with Gehlot-type structural changes in the state cricket board. 

• Draft Sports Policy 2024: Will be created based on the contributions made by the people through November 2024; likely to replace the 2013 one. Focuses on sports infrastructure, taking care of the athletes, digitally governed, and priority sports on performance and participation. 

Significant Provisions Draft Rajasthan Sports Policy 2024

Sports Classification:

• Priority I: Athletics, Archery, Badminton, Basketball, Boxing, Cycling, Shooting, taekwondo, volleyball
• Priority II: Fencing, Judo, weightlifting, Handball, Power lift, Wrestling
• Priority III: Chess, Football, Gymnastics, Kabaddi, Netball, Rugby, Squash, Table Tennis, Wushu, etc. (Cricket and Polo are not included) 

Athlete Welfare:

• International pension: ₹20,000 per month (non-governmental pensioners, athletes, para-athletes and coaches).
• Medical insurance: 10 lakhs of international level; 5 lakhs of national level athletes. It is covered with sports injuries, rehabilitation, and precondition. 

Recognition & Awards:

• Congratulations to exceptional performers, associations, coaches, technical personnel, media and officials in the sports field.
• Expansion encompasses journalists, secret coaches, and run-ground staff. 

Governance & Reforms:

• Limitation of Tenure: 12 years maximum as office bearer; after a term there should be a cooling-off period; and a limit of age of 70 years before attending elections.
• Mandatory players committee international, and women-athletes.
• Online system to hold transparency during elections of the sports bodies, as well as certificates.
• Annual renewal of sports association annually and enforcement of RTI proposal. 

Technical and Infrastructural Framework

• The creation of a sports technical wing and athlete commission to govern, quality of coaches and performance analysis.
• There are also High-Performance Centres (HPC), which are located in Jaipur, and Rajasthan State Sports Institute (RSSI) in Jodhpur.
• Growth of tracks: Clay tracks at block level, cinder tracks at district level and synthetic at divisional levels.
• Residential sports institutes and para-athlete academies that are girls only at the divisional level.

Key Programmes & Institutional Mechanisms

• Rajasthan State Sports Council (RSSC): It is the highest sports body in the State, in charge of development of infrastructures, coaching and state level competitions; headed by Youth & Sports Secretary.
• Its Open-Air Gyms (Fitness for All): It has opened 23 open air gyms around Jaipur to facilitate grassroots fitness by keeping them open 24X7. 
• Khelo India University Games 2025: The 5th edition of Khelo India University Games 2025 will be held in Rajasthan in November 2025 with ~6,000, participating athletes across 25 disciplines in multiple indoor and outdoor venues. Incorporates state-level talent hunt similar to TOPS scheme. 
• Sports Associations Regulation: RSSC requires sports associations to enter the Executive Committee details and tournament information in an online system; failure to do so causes withdrawal of funding

Comparative Table

Issues & Challenges

• Delays in implementation: A good number of the reforms have not been implemented more than 10 years after the adoption of the 2013 policy. 
• Cricket Administration Crisis: Nearly a decade of political tampering in Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) has disturbed the governance and the development of young talent. 
• Inclusivity Issues: Coverage of the remoteness and socioeconomically disadvantaged districts is not great.
• Nutrition & Livelihood: The Reddit post indicates the absence of economic security and nutrition impairs the possibility to make a choice toward sports. 

Conclusion for RPSC

Whereas national sports policy of India provided the foundation, the state of Rajasthan seeks to activate a current State of the art and athlete-centric model through its Draft Sports Policy 2024. The draft follows up prior promises, having welfare, governance reform, infrastructure and digital transparency. KIUG2025 hosting, open gyms and having a technical wing are all indications of proactive changes. Proper implementation and long-term governance changes will be the deciding factor on whether the sporting eco-system of Rajasthan will become a regular deliverer and provider of talent.