UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — The Making of a Sporting Nation
Q1. The combined outlay approved by the Union Cabinet for the revamped Khelo India Scheme and the enhanced Assistance to National Sports Federations is officially described as approximately how many times the outlay of the preceding Khelo India Scheme?
- A. About four times the outlay of the preceding scheme
- B. About six times the outlay of the preceding scheme
- C. About eight times the outlay of the preceding scheme
- D. About ten times the outlay of the preceding scheme
Q2. Which one of the following correctly states the official characterisation of the revamped Khelo India Scheme approved for the 2026-31 cycle?
- A. It is the first Centrally Sponsored Scheme in the sports sector to be funded entirely by the Union Government with no State share whatsoever
- B. It is the sole central channel through which all financial assistance to recognised National Sports Federations is henceforth routed
- C. It is the most ambitious sports development programme undertaken in the country since Independence
- D. It is the first sports programme to be implemented exclusively through the training establishments of the Armed Forces
Q3. Consider the following statements regarding Khelo Bharat Niti 2025 as compared with the sports policy it succeeded:
1. It supersedes the National Sports Policy, 2001, and was approved by the Union Cabinet in July 2025.
2. It rests on five pillars, one of which is integration of sports with education in alignment with the National Education Policy, 2020.
3. Unlike the policy it replaced, it confines itself exclusively to elite athletes preparing for international competition and leaves mass participation outside its scope.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- It supersedes the National Sports Policy, 2001, and was approved by the Union Cabinet in July 2025.
- It rests on five pillars, one of which is integration of sports with education in alignment with the National Education Policy, 2020.
- Unlike the policy it replaced, it confines itself exclusively to elite athletes preparing for international competition and leaves mass participation outside its scope.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1 and 3 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q4. Which of the following are pillars of Khelo Bharat Niti 2025?
1. Excellence on the Global Stage
2. Sports for Economic Development
3. Sports as a People's Movement
4. Sports for Diplomatic Outreach
Which of the above is/are correctly identified?
- Excellence on the Global Stage
- Sports for Economic Development
- Sports as a People's Movement
- Sports for Diplomatic Outreach
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 1, 2 and 3 only
- C. 2, 3 and 4 only
- D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q5. The 'Khelo India — National Programme for Development of Sports' is administered by which one of the following?
- A. Ministry of Education, through its Department of School Education and Literacy
- B. Ministry of Culture, acting through the Sports Authority of India
- C. Ministry of Human Resource Development, through its Department of Sports and Physical Education
- D. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports
Q6. The five-year cycle of the Khelo India Scheme that immediately preceded the revamped scheme was approved with a financial outlay of:
- A. Rs 328.77 crore
- B. Rs 1,756 crore
- C. Rs 3,790.50 crore
- D. Rs 3,794 crore
Q7. Consider the following statements regarding sports-related provisions in the Union Budget 2026-27:
1. Khelo India was allocated Rs 924.35 crore.
2. A dedicated allocation of Rs 500 crore was made for promotion of sports goods manufacturing.
3. The total allocation to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports was Rs 4,479.88 crore.
4. The Budget provided Rs 36,441 crore to the Khelo India Mission for the financial year 2026-27.
Which of the above is/are NOT correct?
- Khelo India was allocated Rs 924.35 crore.
- A dedicated allocation of Rs 500 crore was made for promotion of sports goods manufacturing.
- The total allocation to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports was Rs 4,479.88 crore.
- The Budget provided Rs 36,441 crore to the Khelo India Mission for the financial year 2026-27.
- A. 1 and 3 only
- B. 2 and 4 only
- C. 1, 2 and 3 only
- D. 4 only
Q8. By approximately how much did the total allocation to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports rise in the Union Budget 2026-27 over the revised estimates of the preceding financial year?
- A. By about Rs 1,133 crore
- B. By about Rs 924 crore
- C. By about Rs 500 crore
- D. By about Rs 3,346 crore
Q9. Which one of the following best describes the scope of the Scheme of Assistance to National Sports Federations?
- A. A window under which the Union Government meets the entire administrative and establishment expenditure of every recognised federation
- B. A grant window that funds only the construction and upgradation of sports infrastructure owned by federations
- C. Assistance to recognised federations for athlete training, national championships, international participation and coaching support
- D. A channel through which cash awards and lifetime pensions are paid directly to all medal-winning athletes of the federations
Q10. Consider the following statements regarding the revised norms of assistance under the Scheme of Assistance to National Sports Federations, as compared with the earlier norms:
1. The monthly remuneration ceiling for the Chief National Coach was raised from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.
2. Financial assistance for the conduct of a National Championship in a High-Priority sport was raised to Rs 90 lakh.
3. Financial assistance for hosting an international event in the country was reduced to Rs 1 crore from the earlier Rs 2 crore.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- The monthly remuneration ceiling for the Chief National Coach was raised from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.
- Financial assistance for the conduct of a National Championship in a High-Priority sport was raised to Rs 90 lakh.
- Financial assistance for hosting an international event in the country was reduced to Rs 1 crore from the earlier Rs 2 crore.
- A. 1 and 2 only
- B. 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3
Q11. With reference to how the Khelo India Scheme is operationalised on the ground, which one of the following statements is correct?
- A. Sports infrastructure under the scheme is created solely by the Sports Authority of India, with no role for State agencies
- B. Khelo India Accredited Academies are without exception wholly owned and run by the Union Government
- C. Support to identified athletes under the scheme is routed only through the recognised National Sports Federations
- D. Khelo India Centres and State Centres of Excellence are established in collaboration with State Governments and Union Territories
Q12. Consider the following statements regarding the features that distinguish the revamped Khelo India Scheme from its earlier phases:
1. It introduces two new school-level initiatives, namely Khelo India Feeder Schools and Khelo India Utkrishta Vidyalayas.
2. Youth Sports Companies of the Armed Forces are counted among the institutional components of its integrated sports ecosystem.
3. It discontinues the category of Khelo India Athletes and substitutes National Centres of Excellence in its place.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- It introduces two new school-level initiatives, namely Khelo India Feeder Schools and Khelo India Utkrishta Vidyalayas.
- Youth Sports Companies of the Armed Forces are counted among the institutional components of its integrated sports ecosystem.
- It discontinues the category of Khelo India Athletes and substitutes National Centres of Excellence in its place.
- A. 1 only
- B. 1 and 2 only
- C. 2 and 3 only
- D. 1, 2 and 3