SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, April 15: The Airports Authority of India (AAI) Sports Control Board has introduced a new scholarship scheme for athletes who have represented their states in sub-junior and junior national championships, National School Games, or All India Inter-University tournaments.
Under this initiative, players aged between 14 and 18 years will receive ₹15,000 per month, while those between 18 and 24 years will be eligible for ₹20,000 per month.
The scheme is open to both students and non-student athletes. The last date to apply for the AAI Sports Scholarship Scheme for the year 2025–26 is April 30. The age eligibility will be calculated as of March 31, 2025.
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Scholarship Open Across 17 Disciplines
According to a notification issued by G.L. Verma, General Manager (HR) of AAI’s Sports Control Board, the scholarship is available to both boys and girls across 17 sports disciplines. These include archery (recurve), badminton, chess, carrom, kho-kho, table tennis, long jump, high jump, triple jump, javelin throw, discus throw, and cricket (only boys), football (only boys), and volleyball (only boys).
To be eligible, players must have participated in sub-junior, junior, or senior national championships, All India Inter-University tournaments, or National School Games during 2023–24 or later. The notification states that selection will be merit-based, with preference given to first-time applicants.
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117 Scholarships to be Awarded
A total of 117 scholarships will be awarded—97 in the open category and 20 reserved for children of AAI employees. Selected athletes will represent the AAI team in national and international competitions during their scholarship tenure.
The notification also emphasizes that no player can participate in any tournament without obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Secretary of AAI’s Sports Control Board. Violation of this rule may lead to recovery of the full scholarship amount awarded during the athlete’s tenure.
