Capital hikes cash award for Olympic gold winners to ₹7 cr; medallists to get govt job

New Delhi: In a major push towards youth empowerment, the Delhi Government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, on Tuesday approved a series of transformative measures for young athletes and school students in the capital. The initiatives include the highest-ever cash awards for international sports medalists in India, Grade A government jobs for top athletes, the establishment of 350 computer labs in government schools, and free laptops for meritorious students.

Announcing the decisions after a Cabinet meeting at the Delhi Secretariat, CM Rekha Gupta called the schemes “historic and visionary”, adding that they aim to nurture talent and promote inclusive development across education and sports. “These measures are inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Khelo India’ and ‘Fit India’ campaigns, as well as his commitment to transforming India through education and youth empowerment,” she said. 

Unprecedented Cash Awards and Government Jobs for Athletes

Under the revamped Mukhyamantri Khel Protsahan Yojana, Delhi becomes the first state to offer the highest financial incentives to international sports medalists. Olympic and Paralympic gold medal winners will now receive Rs.7 crore, silver Rs.5 crore, and bronze Rs.3 crore. For Asian and Para Asian Games, rewards range from Rs.1 crore to Rs.3 crore, while Commonwealth and Para Commonwealth Games medalists will get up to Rs.2 crore.

“These figures make Delhi the most rewarding state in India for sportspersons,” said Education and Sports Minister Ashish Sood. Additionally, medal winners will be eligible for Grade A, B, or C government jobs depending on the level of achievement, a first-of-its-kind career security initiative in the country.

Athletes will also receive training support and medical insurance of up to Rs.5 lakh at the state level and Rs.20 lakh for elite athletes. International participants will be given up to Rs.2 lakh in travel and participation support.

Earlier, the Olympic and Paralympic medal winners were awarded Rs 3 crore, Rs 2 crore, and Rs 1 crore for gold, silver, and bronze medallists.

Digital Push in Government Schools

The Cabinet has approved the setup of 350 modern computer labs across government schools. In the first phase (2025–26), 175 labs will be constructed, followed by another 175 in 2026–27. “A total budget of Rs.50 crore has been approved for this project,” said Education Minister Ashish Sood. Each lab will have 40 desktop computers and be equipped with digital learning tools. Schools operating in double shifts have been prioritised for early implementation.

Slamming the previous government Sood stated, “Not a single delhi government school has a functional computer lab, but our government will make sure to provide all facilities to these students.”

Free Laptops for Meritorious Students

As part of the Mukhyamantri Digital Education Scheme, 1,200 top-performing Class 11 students from government schools will receive free laptops based on their Class 10 board exam scores. “This initiative will be implemented annually, with Rs.7.5 crore allocated for 2025–26,” Sood added, calling it a “major step toward digital inclusion and academic excellence.”

“As many as 1,200 meritorious students who have passed Class 10 with good marks will be given i7 laptops. This will benefit students from underprivileged backgrounds,” he asserted. These initiatives collectively aim to position Delhi as a national leader in both education and sports development.