Tamil Nadu to Introduce Special Schooling for Sports Hostel Students

Tamil Nadu will introduce a special education system for students residing in sports hostels across the state to help them balance intensive athletic training with academics, Sports Minister Aadhav Arjuna announced in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday. Presenting his maiden demand for grants, the minister detailed a series of policy measures and infrastructure projects aimed at building a stronger pipeline for the Olympics.

Under the proposed initiative, children as young as eight years old will be identified through schools and housed in sports hostels. The minister explained that young athletes undergo rigorous training between 5:30 am and 8:30 am, leaving them exhausted during regular school hours. Drawing comparisons to models in Singapore and the United States, he stated that a tailored educational framework is necessary to support their academic progress alongside sports training.

To identify young talent early, the state will establish an SDAT Talent Research Wing under an Olympic Talent Research programme with an allocation of Rs 5 crore. Jointly implemented by the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu and the School Education Department, the programme will scout athletes aged eight to 18 to receive specialised coaching.

Several major infrastructure projects were also announced for Chennai and other districts. Chennai will get a dedicated Paralympic Centre of Excellence, an SDAT Olympic Illam to support international sporting events, and a High-Rise Multi-Sports Centre at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium. Additionally, a sports cadet training academy has been proposed at Koyambedu.

Across the state, 10 Olympic Centres of Excellence will be set up in Kancheepuram, Coimbatore, Nagapattinam, Chengalpattu, and other districts with established university and sports infrastructure. Under the Play for All scheme, around 500 sports grounds attached to urban local bodies and municipalities will be upgraded at a cost of Rs 50 crore.

The government also plans to introduce a Tamil Nadu Sports Act to enforce athlete protection, fair selection, transparency, and safe sporting environments, alongside setting up Internal Complaints Committees in every district. Financial assistance under the Mission International Medal Scheme will be raised from Rs 12 lakh to Rs 15 lakh, while support under the Champions Development Scheme will increase from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 8 lakh.