Target Olympic Podium Scheme - TOPS Yojana

Indian sports culture remains undefined. Even though it has changed from what it was a decade ago, it is still in its infancy compared to international sports. To succeed for the nation and develop professionally in sports, young people must not only invest time but also use the resources available to them. Recently, the government came up with a solution to help athletes with free education who have won medals for the nation by launching the Target Olympic Podium Scheme.

Overview

What Is The Target Olympic Podium Scheme?

The Target Olympic Podium Scheme was launched by the government of India under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports in 2014 to lend a helping hand to the athletes of the country. The Olympic Podium Yojana aims to provide wholesome aid comprised of financial and tailored training programmes to athletes who excel in their fields so that they can grow under proper guidance in a nurturing environment and make India proud.

Objectives Of The Target Olympic Podium Scheme

The TOPS Scheme has several key objectives that help in outlining the major goals of the scheme. Some of the key objectives of the govt, scheme are:

• Financial aid: The TOPS Scheme provides financial assistance to sportsmen who have won medals and are studying in recognised universities/colleges.

• Boosting morale: With the help of this TOPS Scheme, the government wants to motivate athletes to reach higher levels of efficiency by helping them financially and enabling them to access relevant training programmes for growth and expertise.

• Eligibility: The program applies to athletes who are medal winners at national games or participants in recognised international sporting events.

• Wide exposure: The Olympic Podium Yojana constructs a path for the athletes to participate in international events and compete with their exceptional peers.

Benefits

There are numerous benefits of the TOPS Scheme that help in recognising and boosting the morale of athletes. Some of its major benefits are:

• Financial help: The athletes under the Olympic Podium Scheme are provided with a monthly stipend of Rs. 50,000 so that they can lead a fulfilling personal and professional life.

• Tailored training: Athletes are trained as per the sport they play. This helps in enhancing their skills under the guidance of professional and expert mentors.

• Proper equipment: The Olympic Podium Scheme enables the athletes to access and practice in fully furnished training centres with proper and adequate quality equipment.

• Healthcare: The TOPS Scheme also takes care of the athletes’ health by ensuring that they go through regular health checkups as one’s physical and mental health is crucial to maintain.

• Categories: The University Grants Commission (UGC) of India offers financial support to sports medal winners and participants studying in universities and colleges throughout India. Assistance depends upon the level of performance and type of course offered as detailed below:

Eligibility Criteria

Interested athletes first need to ensure whether they fit into the eligibility criteria or not and then apply accordingly. The eligibility criteria for the Olympic Scheme are as follows:

• The scholarship is made available to medal winners of national games and participants in recognized international sporting events recognized by the World College Service, International Olympic Committee and the Olympic Committee of Asia (OCA) recognized international sporting events admitted to the universities/colleges listed in Section 2(f) & 12(B).

• In subsequent years, the scholarship will depend on their continuous sporting achievements.

Read More: Learn about the National Welfare Fund For SportsPerson.

Application Process

The application process for the TOPS Scheme isn’t conventional. The application process is mentioned below in detailed points:

• A progress report about each student using the Olympic Scheme will be submitted by the universities/colleges/institutions.

• The universities, colleges, and institutions are required to provide the utilisation certificates for each student who avails of this scheme. Upon receiving the Utilisation Certificate for the previous grant year, the subsequent grants will be released.

• If a student is awarded the above scheme, he or she is not prohibited from accepting any other scholarship from any other source of funding agency.

• If a student stops studying without approval from the UGC, the UGC will ask for a refund.

• University/College/Institutions must submit an annual progress report with the utilisation certificate to each student using the scheme.

• It would be good to have some provisions for leave of absence for sports and admissions if needed.

Read more: Helping India's Athletes: Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay National Welfare Fund For Sportspersons

Documents Needed

Certain documents are supposed to be submitted by the athlete and the college they are associated with to apply successfully for the Olympic Scheme. The list of documents to apply for the Target Podium Olympic Scheme is mentioned below.

To Be Submitted By The Candidate Via University Or College

• Candidates are required to fill out an application using the prescribed format.

• A certificate of participation or medal winner attested by the registrar or principal.

Documents Submitted By The University

• Statement with the names of the students selected for the scholarship and receipt of the scholarship amount.

• Progress report to be submitted at the end of the first year regarding athletic and academic performance.

• Proof of use of the previously disbursed scholarship.

• A certificate issued by the Director/Head of Department justifying the continuation of the scholarship

• Department, duly forwarded by the Registrar/Director.

Cancellation of Scholarship Under The Target Olympic Podium Scheme

UGC can end the scholarship for students in several cases. The cases or instances are listed below in detail for one’s better understanding:

• Any misconduct by scholarship recipients reported by the university, college, or institution.

• Poor Progress Report: If a candidate consistently fails their exam, they will not receive additional assistance.

• The scholarship can be ended by the Commission at the request of the university at any time during the term, and the final decision of the Commission will be absolute and legally binding

Conclusion

The Target Olympic Podium Scheme is a crucial initiative introduced by the government of India to make the lives of sportsmen easier, help them reach heights in their professional lives, and make the whole country proud.

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