Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and KIRTI talent identification
PIB backgrounder outlines how the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports runs TOPS (since 2014) and KIRTI (talent ID for ages 9–18).
- TOPS is built to support Olympic and Paralympic athletes’ performance for international events.
- TOPS was revamped in April 2018 with a dedicated technical support team for athlete assistance.
- TOPS support combines training inputs (foreign training and camps) with competition exposure and specialised equipment.
- KIRTI uses Talent Assessment Centres with standardised assessment protocols to select talent in a merit-based way.
What happened: TOPS athlete support and KIRTI talent identification
The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports operates two sports initiatives: Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and Khelo India Rising Talent Identification (KIRTI). TOPS supports athletes for Olympic and Paralympic performance. KIRTI identifies and nurtures sporting talent among children aged 9 to 18 using Talent Assessment Centres, standardised assessment protocols, and IT tools including Artificial Intelligence and data analytics.
Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS): launch, revamp, support components and scale
UPSC can frame TOPS and KIRTI as two-linked policy instruments: KIRTI creates a talent pipeline (ages 9–18 using standardised assessments and IT tools), and TOPS provides structured performance support with different stipend tiers (Core vs Development). Exam answers can connect design variables (age eligibility, assessment standardisation, stipend differentiation, centre scale) to policy goals of Olympic and Paralympic performance.
Related dispatches
