Sri Vijaya Puram, November 3: Young athletes from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands seeking a place in the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2026 can apply for Wild Card consideration, with the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs inviting applications from eligible boys and girls under 18 across 15 sporting disciplines. The last date for submission is November 10, 2026, giving aspiring participants an opportunity to present their competitive records for consideration to represent the Union Territory at the national-level event in Telangana.
The Games will take place from December 11 to 22, 2026. According to the Directorate, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, has specified that athlete selection must reflect performances in recognised international, national, state and district-level competitions held during 2023, 2024 and 2025.
The application process covers archery, athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, judo, shooting, swimming, table tennis, tennis, Thang-Ta, weightlifting, wrestling and yogasana.
Under the prescribed selection procedure, the Directorate will shortlist the two best-performing boys and two best-performing girls from the applications received and place their names before the Wild Card Evaluation Committee (WCEC) for KIYG 2026. The committee will assess the recommendations, after which the athletes selected by it will be nominated to participate in the Games. The Directorate will communicate and publish the recommended names through print and electronic media.
Applicants must have been born on or after January 1, 2009, to meet the under-18 age requirement. For age verification, candidates must submit any two of the following documents: Aadhaar card or passport, matriculation certificate, and birth certificate issued by a Municipal Corporation or Gram Panchayat. The birth certificate must have been issued at least five years ago, on or before January 1, 2021.
Candidates must also establish their eligibility to represent the Andaman and Nicobar Islands by submitting one of three documents: a state domicile certificate, passport, or a bona fide certificate confirming their place of posting, employment or schooling.
Applicants must submit the prescribed application form, Annexure-A, duly completed and signed, to the Assistant Supervisor (Sports) of their respective zones. Applications must include self-attested records of achievements in recognised international, national, state, Union Territory or district-level tournaments and competitions during the specified three-year assessment period, along with self-attested copies of documents supporting their eligibility.
The application format is available on the Sports Department portal, https://sports.andamannicobar.gov.in, and the Andaman and Nicobar Administration portal, https://andamannicobar.gov.in.
