SAAOPSG

Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games

7.1/10

The objective of Arjuna Awards is to recognize outstanding achievements of sportspersons in the field of sports at the international level. To be eligible for the award, a sportsperson should have good performance consistently for the previous four years at the international level.

Central Composite

States / UT: All India

Ministry / nodal: Ministry Of Youth Affairs & Sports

Nodal department: Department of Sports

Scheme for: Individual

Scheme profile

Scheme open date: 1961-01-01

Categories: Sports & Culture

Sub-categories: Sports

Target beneficiaries: Sportsperson

Tags: Sports, Award

Details

The "Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games" is one of the highest sporting honors of the Government of India, presented by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to sportspersons for outstanding performance in national and international competitions. Instituted in 1961, the award also recognizes leadership qualities, discipline, and good moral character among athletes. The award is presented annually by the President of India across various sports disciplines, including indigenous games and para sports. Awardees receive a bronze statuette of Arjuna, a scroll, and a cash prize. Applications for the award are invited online through a dedicated portal, and eligible sportspersons may apply directly without recommendations.

Benefits

  • - Cash Award: A cash prize of ₹15,00,000/- will be provided to the awardee. - Statuette: The awardee will receive a commemorative statuette. - Certificate: A certificate of recognition will be presented to the awardee. - Ceremonial Dress: A ceremonial dress will be awarded as part of the honour
  • Cash Award: A cash prize of ₹15,00,000/- will be provided to the awardee. - Statuette: The awardee will receive a commemorative statuette. - Certificate: A certificate of recognition will be presented to the awardee. - Ceremonial Dress: A ceremonial dress will be awarded as part of the honour.

Eligibility

Eligibility for Arjuna Awards:

  • To be eligible for the Award, a sportsperson should have had not only good performance over the previous four years at the International level but also should have shown qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, and a sense of discipline.
  • During the years when the Olympic Games, Commonwealth, and Asian Games are held, the achievements of the sportspersons in these Games and other international tournaments upto the conclusion of the Olympic Games/Commonwealth Games/Asian Games, as the case may be, will also be considered.
  • Sportspersons who have been penalized or against whom inquiry is pending/ongoing for use of drugs/substances banned by the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) based on a sample collected by the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) or any other agency authorized by WADA and tested by National Dope Testing Laboratory or any other WADA accredited laboratory, will not be eligible for the Award.
  • The Government will only consider conferring Arjuna Award in the disciplines falling under the following categories:
  1. Olympic Games/Asian Games/Commonwealth Games/World Cup/Word Championship disciplines and cricket or any equivalent recognized international Tournament.
  2. Indigenous Games.
  3. Sports for physically challenged.

Eligibility for Arjuna Awards (Life Time):

  • The applicant should be a sportsperson with good performance at the international level.
  • The applicant should have continued to contribute to the promotion of sports even after retirement from active sports.
  • The applicant should possess qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, and discipline.
  • The applicant who has been penalized for use of banned substances should be eligible only after completion of the penalty/suspension/ban period.
  • The achievements of the applicant during the suspension or punishment period should not be considered.
  • The applicant against whom any enquiry is pending or ongoing should not be eligible for the award.

Exclusions

No Award will be made for a second time to the same person.

How useful is this scheme?

Public benefit analysis

A practical look at this scheme for citizens

AI-generated insights showing how useful, accessible, and practical this scheme may be — combining deterministic scoring rules with a public-policy LLM analyst.

7.1
/ 10
Public Benefit Score
Accessibility 6.0/10 Moderate
Rural usefulness 6.0/10 Moderate
Application complexity 4.0/10 Moderate
Financial impact 9.5/10 Good
Literacy barrier 5.0/10 Moderate
Women inclusivity 7.0/10 Good
Awareness 7.0/10 Good
Implementation reliability 8.0/10 Good
Bigger shape means a better fit for citizens
  • Accessibility6.0
  • Financial impact9.5
  • Rural utility6.0
  • Awareness7.0
  • Simplicity6.0
  • Inclusivity7.0

What problem does this scheme solve?

The scheme recognizes and rewards outstanding sportspersons in India, promoting sports excellence.

Key challenges addressed

  • Encourages sports participation
  • Recognizes achievements in sports

Most beneficial for

  • Sportspersons
  • Athletes

Likely challenges

  • Complex application process
  • Eligibility criteria may exclude some applicants

Practical insights for citizens

Practical for urban sportspersons, challenging for rural applicants

Rural challenges

  • Limited internet access
  • Lack of awareness about the scheme

Digital challenges

  • High digital dependency
  • Need for online registration

Implementation bottlenecks

  • Complex eligibility criteria
  • Verification delays

Awareness challenges

  • Low awareness in rural areas
  • Limited outreach programs

Application analysis

Application mode
Online portal
Documents burden
Moderate, requires several documents
Verification complexity
Moderate, involves multiple checks
Office dependency
Low, primarily online
DBT dependency
No direct DBT dependency
CSC support
Limited, primarily online
Estimated citizen effort
High, requires detailed information and documentation

Estimated beneficiary reach

  • Rural / urban reach Moderate
  • Gender reach High
  • Target income group All income groups
  • Occupation reach Sportspersons

Benefit analysis

Benefit type
Composite
Benefit frequency
Annual
Benefit practicality
High, but dependent on eligibility
Financial meaningfulness
High due to significant cash prize
Long-term impact
Encourages sustained sports participation and excellence

Plain-language guidance

This scheme awards sportspersons for their achievements in sports. To apply, you need to demonstrate consistent performance at the international level.

Who should apply
Sportspersons with notable achievements in sports.
Who may struggle
Semi-literate individuals and those without internet access.
Best application route
Apply directly through the online portal.

This intelligence section is generated by an AI policy analyst combined with rule-based scoring. Scores and narrative are estimates derived from the publicly available scheme information shown on this page; actual experience may vary by state, district, and department. Always confirm details on the official portal before you apply.

Application Process

Online

Step 1: The applicant will open the website https://dbtyas-sports.gov.in/ to register and apply for Online Schemes of the Department of Sports.
Step 2: The applicant will click on the ‘Registration’ tab to start the one-time registration process. Here the applicant will fill in the required personal details including verification of their mobile number through OTP. (Registration Type, Organization Name, Individual Name, Address, State, City, District, Block, Village, Pin Code, Email, Mobile Number)
Step 3: After successful registration, the applicant will get the message that the login credentials have been sent to the registered email ID.
Step 4: The applicant will use the login credentials received on the registered email ID to login into the online portal. Please remember to refresh the captcha before clicking on the login button.
Step 5: After first-time login, the applicant will be required to update their other basic details. After filling in the details click on the ‘Update’ button and the profile will be successfully updated. (Name of the Applicant, Father's Name, Mother's Name, Gender, DOB, Nationality, Address, email, Mobile Number)
Step 6: The applicant will click on the ‘Schemes’ tab and apply for the desired scheme.

Clarifications

Additional points from the scheme information published on myScheme (not legal advice).

What Are The Required Documents For Applying To This Scheme?
  1. Date of Birth Proof 2. User Photograph (Image should be in JPEG/PNG/JPG & size not exceed 5 MB) 3. Upload user signature (Signature should be in JPEG/PNG/JPG & size not exceed 250 KB) 4. Vigilance Certificate (in case of Govt./PSU/Autonomous organization) 5. Certificates of International Achievement details 6. Signed Undertaking (as per the given format) by the sportsperson
What Is The Amount Of The Cash Prize That Will Be Awarded To The Winner?

The award consists of a statuette, a certificate, a ceremonial dress, and a cash award of ₹ 15,00,000 which will be presented to the winners in a function to be held at a place and on a date to be decided by the Government of India.

Is Good Performance Over The Previous Four Years At The International Level Enough In Order To Be Eligible For The Award?

To be eligible for the Award, a sportsperson should have had not only good performance over the previous four years at the International level but also should have shown qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, and a sense of discipline.

What Are WADA And NADA? What Is Their Role In The Award?

Sportspersons who have been penalized or against whom inquiry is pending/ongoing for use of drugs/substances banned by the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) based on a sample collected by the National Anti Doping Agency (NADA) or any other agency authorized by WADA and tested by National Dope Testing Laboratory or any other WADA accredited laboratory, will not be eligible for the Award.

What Are The Disciplines Under Which The Government Can Consider Conferring Arjuna Award?

The Government will only consider conferring Arjuna Award in the disciplines falling under the following categories: a) Olympic Games/Asian Games/Commonwealth Games/World Cup/Word Championship disciplines and cricket or any equivalent recognized international Tournament. b) Indigenous Games. c) Sports for the physically challenged.

Where Will Be Award Ceremony Be Held?

The function for the presentation of the Award to be held at a place and on a date to be decided by the Government of India.

How Many Awards Can Be Conferred In A Calendar Year?

Ordinarily, not more than one award will be given in each discipline in a particular year subject to deserving sportspersons being available. However, at least one award is to be given exclusively for sports for the physically challenged. Further, the principle of one award per discipline may be relaxed in the case of team sports and across gender. That is to say that, the Selection Committee may recommend, in deserving cases with proper justification, more than one sportsperson in respect of team sports and sportspersons of both genders. Normally not more than 15 awards could be given in any calendar year. However, keeping in view the performance of Indian sportspersons in the Commonwealth, Asian Games, and Olympic Games during a particular year, Arjuna Awards exceeding 15 in number may be allowed with proper justification and approval of Minister-in-charge for Youth Affairs & sports.

Definitions

  • Sports journalist/expert/commentator
  • Sports Administrator
  • Olympian

References

Circular & Guidelines
https://dbtyas-sports.gov.in/assets/guidlines/arjuna.pdf
Documents Required
https://dbtyas-sports.gov.in/assets/guidlines/doc/List_national_award_doc.pdf
Helpdesk
https://awards.gov.in/Home/Awardpedia?MinistryId=D052&OnGoingAwards=0&ptype=P
User Manual - Registration Process
https://dbtyas-sports.gov.in/assets/cms_files/User_Manual_for_Registration_for_Online_Schemes.pdf

Apply

Apply now

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Frequently asked questions

What is the purpose of Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games?
Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games is a government welfare initiative designed to support Individual, Sportsperson through benefits related to Sports & Culture, financial assistance, subsidies, social welfare, healthcare, education, or livelihood support.
Who can apply for Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games?
Eligibility for Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games may depend on factors such as income category, age, gender, occupation, state of residence, social category, and government-defined beneficiary criteria.
What benefits are offered under Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games?
Benefits under Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games may include financial assistance, subsidies, scholarships, insurance support, healthcare benefits, pension support, training assistance, or welfare services depending on the scheme guidelines.
Which department manages Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games?
Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games is managed by Department of Sports and may be implemented through district offices, online portals, CSC centres, banks, or authorised government agencies.
Can users apply online for Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games?
Yes, eligible applicants may be able to apply online for Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games through official government portals, authorised service centres, or digital application systems depending on the implementation process.
Is Aadhaar mandatory for Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games?
Many government schemes may require Aadhaar verification, identity proof, or linked bank account details for beneficiary validation and direct benefit transfer processing.
Where can users apply for Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games?
Applications for Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games may be submitted through government departments, official scheme portals, CSC centres, district offices, welfare departments, or authorised service centres.
What documents may be required for Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games?
Applicants may need Aadhaar card, income certificate, residence proof, bank account details, caste certificate, photographs, educational records, or occupation-related documents depending on scheme eligibility requirements.
Is Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games a central government scheme?
Yes, Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games is a central government welfare initiative that may be implemented across multiple states through authorised departments and agencies.
Can CSC centres help users apply for Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games?
Many government schemes may be accessible through nearby CSC centres, authorised digital service centres, or welfare facilitation offices.
How can users check the latest updates for Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games?
Users should verify official notifications, department announcements, application deadlines, and eligibility updates through authorised government portals or implementing agencies.
Are there deadlines for applying to Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games?
Some schemes may operate through fixed application windows, annual registration cycles, or department-specific deadlines depending on scheme implementation policies.
Can beneficiaries track application status for Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games?
Certain schemes may provide online application tracking, beneficiary verification systems, or status-check facilities through official portals.
Where can users get help for Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games in All India?
Users in All India may seek assistance through CSC centres, district welfare offices, government departments, agriculture offices, social welfare departments, or authorised facilitation centres.
Which nearby public services may help with Scheme For Arjuna Awards For Outstanding Performance In Sports And Games applications?
Depending on the scheme, users may require support from Aadhaar centres, CSC centres, banks, hospitals, post offices, or government welfare offices for document verification and application assistance.