New Delhi, The Sports Ministry has announced plans to create a National Coach Accreditation Board (NCAB) to standardize coaching quality across the country. The decision comes after the Pullela Gopichand-led Task Force submitted a 43-page report in January recommending the establishment of NCAB as the apex body for coaches' education, accreditation, and governance.
The Task Force had also suggested a Target Olympic Podium Scheme for coaches and integration of coaching with sports sciences. Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that the Ministry would integrate coaching with sports sciences and make optimal use of sports science to improve coaching standards.
The NCAB will comprise the Indian Olympic Association President, the Sports Secretary, a person of national eminence with cross-ministerial influence, and an eminent academician with expertise in pedagogy and educational systems. The Board will set standards, ensure accountability, and unify government, federations, educational institutions, and the Olympic movement.
The Ministry has also announced plans to fill up over 700 vacant coaching slots in the Sports Authority of India by the end of this year. A National Coach Registry, an Accreditation Portal, and a dedicated helpline for coaches will also be established.
Additionally, a ₹150 crore High Altitude Training Centre (HATC) will be set up in Shillong, Meghalaya, which will support physiological adaptation, recovery optimization, and acclimatization for high-altitude competition. The Centre will be able to accommodate 450 athletes at a time and will have state-of-the-art facilities including a dedicated Sports Science building, an athletes' residential complex, an indoor heated swimming pool, and natural training trails.
