India's New National Framework for Coach Education Reforming Sports Coaching

A Task Force has put forth recommendations for developing a unified national framework for coach education and accreditation in India, aimed at standardizing the coaching ecosystem nationwide. This report, submitted to the Ministry, calls for standardized coaching curricula, a tiered national coaching pathway from grassroots to elite levels, practice-oriented training, mandatory licensing, and continuing professional development (CPD) for coaches.

The recommendations also emphasize integration with the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF) and National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, along with performance-based evaluations and incentive structures. The proposal aims to fortify ethics, safety, and inclusivity in coaching and seeks uniform implementation across states like Telangana and Madhya Pradesh, according to a government release.

A significant suggestion is the creation of a National Coach Accreditation Board (NCAB) to set national standards for coach education and oversee accreditation. This includes approving coaching pathways, designing a unified curriculum, and supervising licensing. The Task Force suggests a structured coaching pathway encompassing all levels, integrating community coaches and PE teachers as feeder streams, and introducing a recognition of prior learning mechanism to transition former elite athletes into coaching roles.