SAI Assistant Coach Recruitment 2026 — 323 Vacancies

Sports Authority of India (SAI) has released notification for 323 Assistant Coach posts across 26 sports disciplines including Athletics, Swimming, Boxing, Wrestling, Shooting, and others. Candidates with a Diploma in Coaching from SAI NS-NIS Patiala or equivalent can apply online. Last date to apply is 21 April 2026. Salary ranges from Rs. 35,400 to Rs. 1,12,400 per month under Level 6 of the 7th CPC.

Sports Authority of India (SAI) Assistant Coach Recruitment 2026 - 323 Posts

Sports Authority of India (SAI), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, has announced a major recruitment drive for 323 Assistant Coach positions on a regular basis. These coaches will be posted at SAI's Regional Centres, National Centres of Excellence, and Training Centres spread across India. This is a Group B entry-level post in the Cadre of Coaches with a clear promotion path to Coach, Sr. Coach, Chief Coach, and High Performance Coach. The recruitment covers 26 different sporting disciplines, making it one of the largest coaching recruitments by SAI. A 33% horizontal reservation for women is applicable across all disciplines.

Vacancy Breakdown by Sports Discipline

• Athletics: 28 posts (UR: 13, OBC: 7, SC: 4, ST: 2, EWS: 2)
• Swimming: 26 posts (UR: 13, OBC: 7, SC: 3, ST: 1, EWS: 2)
• Shooting: 28 posts (UR: 13, OBC: 7, SC: 4, ST: 2, EWS: 2)
• Wrestling: 22 posts (UR: 11, OBC: 5, SC: 3, ST: 1, EWS: 2)
• Boxing: 19 posts (UR: 10, OBC: 5, SC: 2, ST: 1, EWS: 1)
• Badminton: 16 posts (UR: 8, OBC: 4, SC: 2, ST: 1, EWS: 1)
• Table Tennis: 14 posts (UR: 8, OBC: 3, SC: 1, ST: 1, EWS: 1)
• Field Hockey: 13 posts (UR: 8, OBC: 3, SC: 1, ST: 0, EWS: 1)
• Archery: 12 posts (UR: 7, OBC: 3, SC: 1, ST: 0, EWS: 1)
• Cycling: 12 posts (UR: 7, OBC: 3, SC: 1, ST: 0, EWS: 1)
• Gymnastics: 12 posts (UR: 7, OBC: 3, SC: 1, ST: 0, EWS: 1)
• Basketball: 12 posts (UR: 7, OBC: 3, SC: 1, ST: 0, EWS: 1)
• Football: 12 posts (UR: 7, OBC: 3, SC: 1, ST: 0, EWS: 1)
• Taekwondo: 11 posts (UR: 7, OBC: 2, SC: 1, ST: 0, EWS: 1)
• Rowing: 11 posts (UR: 7, OBC: 2, SC: 1, ST: 0, EWS: 1)
• Fencing: 11 posts (UR: 7, OBC: 2, SC: 1, ST: 0, EWS: 1)
• Weightlifting: 10 posts (UR: 6, OBC: 2, SC: 1, ST: 0, EWS: 1)
• Volleyball: 10 posts (UR: 6, OBC: 2, SC: 1, ST: 0, EWS: 1)
• Tennis: 8 posts (UR: 5, OBC: 2, SC: 1, ST: 0, EWS: 0)
• Canoeing: 7 posts (UR: 5, OBC: 1, SC: 1, ST: 0, EWS: 0)
• Handball: 6 posts (UR: 5, OBC: 1, SC: 0, ST: 0, EWS: 0)
• Judo: 6 posts (UR: 5, OBC: 1, SC: 0, ST: 0, EWS: 0)
• Kabaddi: 6 posts (UR: 5, OBC: 1, SC: 0, ST: 0, EWS: 0)
• Wushu: 6 posts (UR: 5, OBC: 1, SC: 0, ST: 0, EWS: 0)
• Sepak Takraw: 3 posts (UR: 3, OBC: 0, SC: 0, ST: 0, EWS: 0)
• Kho-Kho: 2 posts (UR: 2, OBC: 0, SC: 0, ST: 0, EWS: 0)

Total Category-wise Breakdown:

• Unreserved (UR): 187 posts
• OBC: 73 posts
• SC: 32 posts
• ST: 9 posts
• EWS: 22 posts

The number of vacancies is provisional and may vary as per SAI's requirement. 33% horizontal reservation for women is applicable.

Who Can Apply?

You need to meet any one of the following qualification criteria:

• Option A: Diploma or equivalent in Coaching from SAI NS-NIS, Patiala or from any other recognized Indian or Foreign University (see Annexure-I of the notification for the list of recognized equivalent qualifications).
• Option B: Participation in Olympics, Paralympics, Asian Games, or World Championship along with a Certificate Course in Coaching.
• Option C: Dronacharya Awardee.

Post Graduate Diploma in Sports Coaching awarded by State Universities recognized by UGC and established by State/UT Governments is also treated as a valid qualification, as per the Addendum dated 25.03.2026.

Age Limit

• Maximum age: 30 years as on 16 January 2026 (date of notification).
• SC/ST: 5 years relaxation (up to 35 years).
• OBC (Non-Creamy Layer): 3 years relaxation (up to 33 years).
• PwBD: 10 years relaxation (up to 40 years).
• Departmental candidates (SAI employees): Up to 5 years relaxation.
• Government employees: Up to 5 years relaxation.
• Ex-Servicemen: As per Government of India norms (deduction of military service period from actual age).
• SAI Contractual employees: Age relaxation equal to the duration of continuous service in SAI (minimum 1 year under Khelo India, TOPS, or ANSF). Relaxations are cumulative.

Salary

• Pay Level 6: Rs. 35,400 to Rs. 1,12,400 per month (7th CPC).
• Pre-revised Pay Band: PB-II Rs. 9,300-34,800 + Grade Pay Rs. 4,200.
• You will also get Dearness Allowance (DA), House Rent Allowance (HRA), Transport Allowance, Leave, Medical Benefits, and Sports Kit as per Central Government rules.

Application Fee

• General / EWS / OBC: Rs. 2,500
• SC / ST / Ex-Servicemen: Rs. 2,000
• Women (all categories): Rs. 2,000
• Payment mode: Online only (NEFT/RTGS/Net Banking/UPI)
• Fee is non-refundable. Fees are exclusive of bank charges and service tax.

Selection Process

Selection is a two-stage process with a combined merit list:

1. Computer Based Test (CBT) — 40% weightage: An online written exam with 100 MCQs to be completed in 2 hours. Topics include Sports-Specific Knowledge (65 marks), Sports Science (25 marks), and General Awareness, Reasoning & Aptitude (10 marks). Negative marking of 0.25 marks per wrong answer applies. Exam centres include Delhi, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Bhopal, Gandhinagar, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Thiruvananthapuram, Guwahati, and Imphal.
2. Coaching Ability Test (CAT) — 60% weightage: A practical coaching assessment with 40 parameters that evaluates your ability to apply coaching knowledge and build effective coaching relationships. Candidates are shortlisted for CAT in a 1:3 ratio (3 times the vacancies per sport per category) based on CBT performance.

Final merit = CBT Score (40%) + CAT Score (60%). In case of a tie: higher CBT marks, then older candidate, then alphabetical order of name.

How to Apply

1. Go to the SAI recruitment portal at test.cbexams.com (link provided in the official addendum).
2. Click on "New Registration" and create your account.
3. Fill in personal details and qualification details in the online application form.
4. Upload scanned copies of your photograph (JPG, max 80KB), signature (JPG, max 30KB), and qualification documents (PDF, max 500KB).
5. Pay the application fee through online mode (NEFT/RTGS/Net Banking/UPI).
6. Submit and download the registration slip with your unique registration number for future reference.

No hard copy or documents need to be sent to SAI at the application stage. Only Indian nationals can apply.

Important Dates

• Notification Date: 16 January 2026
• Addendum Date: 25 March 2026
• Online Application Start: 23 March 2026 (10:00 AM)
• Last Date to Apply Online: 21 April 2026 (05:00 PM)
• CBT Exam Date: To be announced
• Admit Card: To be announced

• Train and coach athletes in the assigned sports discipline at SAI centres
• Prepare training schedules, session plans, and periodization programs for athletes
• Monitor athlete performance, conduct assessments, and maintain progress records
• Work with sports science staff on strength, conditioning, and injury prevention programs
• Assist senior coaches during national and international competitions
• Identify and develop talent through grassroots scouting and Khelo India initiatives
• Follow SAI guidelines and anti-doping regulations during all training activities
• Prepare reports on athlete development, competition results, and training outcomes