
Vacancies: 20 · Posts: 1 · Type: Deputation / Absorption · Mode: Offline · Fee: Not mentioned · Apply: 09 September 2026–08 October 2026 · Salary: Level-07, ₹44,900–₹1,42,400 · Selection: Interview · Location: New Delhi / SAI centres
Sports Authority of India, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India, is filling 20 Section Officer posts from serving Central, State and UT officers. The circular (Advt. No. 01-04001(03)/7/2025-HO), dated 09 September 2026, is a deputation drive, not an open-market exam.
Applications must reach SAI by 08 October 2026 through Speed Post or Registered Post. There is no online form on the saijobs portal for this cycle.
This is a different window from the earlier Last-Pay-Drawn-minus-Pension engagement for retired officers. Only officers already holding a regular Level-07 post, or five years of regular service in Level-06, should treat this as their vacancy.
On this page
Who Should Apply? (Quick Eligibility Check)
- Serving officers on a regular Level-07 post (₹44,900–₹1,42,400) in Central / State / UT government → Section Officer – 20 posts
- Serving officers with 5 years’ regular service in Level-06 (₹35,400–₹1,12,400) → Section Officer – 20 posts
Both routes lead to the same 20 seats. You apply once against the circular, not twice.
Who cannot apply (hard filters):
- Private-sector, contractual, outsourced or daily-wage staff
- Retired officers looking for Last Pay Drawn minus Pension (that was a separate, closed window)
- Officers who will be above 56 years on 08 October 2026
- Applicants who cannot move papers through the parent cadre (NOC, vigilance, APARs)
No domicile bar is published. Officers posted anywhere in India can apply if they meet the pay-level rule.
Use our Experience Calculator if you are counting Level-06 regular service to the last date.
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification date | 09 September 2026 |
| Application start | 09 September 2026 (notification date; no separate online opening) |
| Last date for application to reach SAI | 08 October 2026 |
| Interview / call letter | To be notified |
| Joining | After selection, cadre clearance and relieving |
Late packets are generally rejected. Treat 08 October 2026 as a receipt deadline unless the PDF clearly says dispatch date.
Quick Overview – SAI Section Officer 2026
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Sports Authority of India (SAI) |
| Sector | Sports, youth affairs and sports administration |
| Parent ministry | Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, Government of India |
| Advertisement No. | 01-04001(03)/7/2025-HO |
| Post | Section Officer |
| Vacancies | 20 |
| Nature of appointment | Deputation from Central / State / UT governments |
| Job location | SAI Head Office, New Delhi, and SAI centres as allotted |
| Pay | Level-07, ₹44,900–₹1,42,400 (7th CPC) |
| Age | Maximum 56 years as on 08 October 2026 |
| Application mode | Offline (Speed Post / Registered Post) |
| Application fee | Not mentioned in the published circular summary |
| Selection | Interview (no written exam stated) |
| Official website | SAI official website |
| Last date | 08 October 2026 |
| Apply Offline | Open the SAI jobs/recruitment page and download the form |
| Notification PDF | Download the SAI Section Officer circular from the official jobs page (direct PDF path was not published as a standalone URL) |
✅ Confirmed: 20 Section Officer posts, Level-07 pay, max age 56, two eligibility routes, offline post, interview.
❓ Not specified in the public summary: exact deputation tenure, envelope superscription text, category roster (unusual on deputation), fee table, and whether an advance copy by email is allowed.
What Posts Are Available? – SAI Vacancy & Eligibility 2026
Twenty seats sit on one designation. SAI’s own cadre papers have earlier recorded a large Section Officer gap against sanctioned strength. This circular is the deputation route into that gap, not a 20-post SSC-style open exam.
| Post Name | Vacancies | Qualification | Pay Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Section Officer | 20 | Regular analogous post in Level-07 or 5 years’ regular service in Level-06, in Central / State / UT government | Level-07 (₹44,900–₹1,42,400) |
Note: No UR / OBC / SC / ST / EWS split is published. Deputation circulars usually fill posts from willing cadres, not from an open reservation roster. Verify any PwBD or special-category line from the official PDF before claiming a reserved seat.
Your qualifying-exam percentage is not the shortlist tool here. There is no written paper in the published process. Interview plus service record decides who is called and who is offered the seat.
Who Is Eligible? – Education, Age & Service
Mandatory service (either route):
- Holding an analogous post on a regular basis in Level-07, or
- Five years’ regular service in Level-06 (₹35,400–₹1,12,400)
“Regular” is the operative word. Ad-hoc, MACP-only pay, or contractual Level-06 time does not automatically equal five years’ regular service.
Education: No separate degree list is printed in the reference circular text. Parent-cadre Section Officer / Assistant rules will usually already require a university degree. Carry degree certificates to the interview and document verification.
Preferred vs mandatory: The two pay-level routes above are mandatory gates. No “desirable MBA / sports management” filter is published. Do not treat extra diplomas as a substitute for Level-06/07 regular service.
What Is the Age Limit?
| Category | Maximum age (as published) |
|---|---|
| All applicants under this circular | 56 years as on 08 October 2026 |
The published text does not print separate OBC +3 or SC/ST +5 ceilings. Do not assume extra years unless the official PDF or a Government of India order attached to this circular says so.
Examples:
✅ A 55-year-old serving officer born on 09 October 1970 — eligible (within the 56-year cap as on 08 October 2026).
❌ A 57-year-old serving officer born on 08 October 1969 — not eligible (crosses 56 years on the cut-off date).
Use our Age Eligibility Calculator to check instantly.
What Is the Salary? – SAI Section Officer 2026
Selected officers join SAI against Level-07 of the 7th CPC (₹44,900–₹1,42,400).
| Component | Indicative figure (New Delhi, X-class city) |
|---|---|
| Basic pay | ₹44,900 |
| DA (about 55% of basic, 2026 working rate) | ~₹24,700 |
| HRA (30% in Delhi) | ~₹13,470 |
| Transport allowance | As admissible to Level-07 |
| Indicative in-hand | ~₹68,000–₹78,000 per month |
This is an estimate using current central rates: basic ₹44,900 + DA ~55% + 30% HRA for an X-class city, less NPS (10% of basic + DA) and routine deductions. Actual take-home depends on whether you opt for parent-cadre pay plus deputation allowance or SAI Level-07 fixation under DoPT deputation rules.
Calculate a working figure on the 7th CPC Salary Calculator. The calculator is indicative. The official pay-fixation order after joining prevails.
Delhi posting raises HRA. A later posting to a Y-class or Z-class SAI centre cuts HRA to 20% or 10%.
NPS continues if you are already under NPS in the parent cadre. Old Pension Scheme status, if you still hold it, follows parent-cadre and DoPT deputation instructions, not a fresh SAI pension promise.
What Is the Application Fee?
No application fee is printed in the published circular summary for any category.
Do not pay anyone who calls or messages offering a “SAI Section Officer form fee” or interview slot. If a fee appears in the official PDF, pay only through the method printed there.
How to Apply?
There is no live online apply link for this deputation circular. Do not use https://sportsauthorityofindia.nic.in/saijobs unless the current PDF expressly points there. That portal was used for other SAI cycles, including the closed retired-officer Section Officer window.
- Open the SAI jobs/recruitment page (also mirrored on sportsauthorityofindia.nic.in). Download the Section Officer deputation circular and the prescribed proforma.
- Fill the form in the format given in the circular. Keep entries identical to your service book.
- Move the file through proper channel. Attach APARs, vigilance clearance, cadre clearance / NOC and a last-pay certificate as listed in the PDF.
- If the circular allows an advance copy, you may post or email that copy. The parent-department copy must still arrive. Selection without cadre papers is not complete.
- Send the set by Speed Post or Registered Post so that it reaches SAI by 08 October 2026.
- Keep the tracking slip and a photocopy of every enclosure.
Postal destination used on 2026 SAI deputation circulars (confirm on page 2 of this PDF):
O/o Director (HRD-II), Room No. 210, 2nd Floor, Sports Authority of India, Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium Complex, Gate No. 10 (East Gate), Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110003.
If this circular names a different room or officer, use that address. Do not drop the envelope at a stadium gate reception and assume it is filed.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Treating this as the retired-officer LPD-minus-pension Section Officer drive and applying without a current regular post.
- Counting ad-hoc or financial-upgradation years as “5 years’ regular service in Level-06.”
- Posting a private envelope without NOC, vigilance and five-year APARs.
- Assuming the last date is the date of posting at your office dak, if the PDF says the form must reach New Delhi on 08 October 2026.
- Using a guessed PDF URL or an old saijobs login from January 2026.
भारतीय खेल प्राधिकरण दिल्ली अनुभाग अधिकारी भर्ती 2026 – 20 पदों के लिए ऑफलाइन आवेदन
भारतीय खेल प्राधिकरण (SAI), युवा कार्यक्रम और खेल मंत्रालय के अधीन एक स्वायत्त संस्था है। इस परिपत्र में अनुभाग अधिकारी के 20 पद प्रतिनियुक्ति पर भरे जाएँगे। अधिसूचना 09 सितंबर 2026 की है। आवेदन पहुँचने की अंतिम तिथि 08 अक्टूबर 2026 है। यह भर्ती सेवानिवृत्त अधिकारियों वाली पुरानी एलपीडी-माइनस-पेंशन विंडो नहीं है।
कौन आवेदन कर सकता है?
केंद्र, राज्य या केंद्रशासित प्रदेश सरकार के नियमित अधिकारी ही पात्र हैं। पहली राह: Level-07 का समकक्ष नियमित पद। दूसरी राह: Level-06 में पाँच वर्ष की नियमित सेवा। अधिकतम आयु 08 अक्टूबर 2026 को 56 वर्ष है। निजी क्षेत्र, अनुबंध कर्मचारी और सेवानिवृत्त अभ्यर्थी इस परिपत्र में नहीं आते।
वेतन और चयन क्या है?
वेतन Level-07 (₹44,900–₹1,42,400) है। दिल्ली जैसे X-शहर में अनुमानित इन-हैंड लगभग ₹68,000–₹78,000 प्रति माह हो सकता है, DA, HRA और NPS काटने के बाद। लिखित परीक्षा का उल्लेख नहीं है। चयन साक्षात्कार और सेवा अभिलेख पर आधारित बताया गया है।
आवेदन कैसे करें?
फॉर्म आधिकारिक वेबसाइट www.sportsauthorityofindia.nic.in के जॉब्स पृष्ठ से डाउनलोड करें। उचित माध्यम से NOC, सतर्कता प्रमाण और APAR लगाएँ। स्पीड पोस्ट या रजिस्टर्ड पोस्ट से SAI मुख्यालय, जवाहरलाल नेहरू स्टेडियम परिसर, गेट संख्या 10, लोधी रोड, नई दिल्ली – 110003 भेजें। अंतिम तिथि तक लिफाफा पहुँचना चाहिए।
How Are Candidates Selected?
Published process:
- Scrutiny of deputation applications and service record
- Interview of shortlisted officers
- Offer subject to vigilance, cadre clearance and document verification
- Relieving from parent department and joining SAI
No written examination is mentioned in the current circular. Selection rests on interview plus the record your cadre forwards. Do not wait for an admit card for a CBT that this notice does not announce.
Interview date, venue and marking scheme are not printed in the public summary. Watch the SAI jobs page for the call letter.
If two complete applications are ever submitted for the same officer, follow the exact wording in the PDF. Do not assume the first form is “cancelled” unless the circular says so.
No PET or physical standard applies to this desk post.
Why Does the Sports Authority of India in New Delhi Matter?
Sports Authority of India runs the country’s main public sports training network: Head Office at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi, plus regional centres, NCOEs and academic units such as NS NIS Patiala and LNCPE Thiruvananthapuram. It sits under the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and executes Khelo India, coaching cadres and stadium operations.
A Section Officer in this organisation is not a field coach. Daily work involves files, establishment, pay fixation, coordination with centres and noting on sports-administration schemes. Officers who want only stadium-side coaching should look at SAI coach vacancies instead.
Candidates search SAI careers because the brand is national and the pay is Central Level-07. They also search because SAI has carried a long administrative-cadre shortage, so deputation seats open in bunches.
The honest limit: this is still deputation. You remain on your parent cadre’s books. Posting can shift from Lodhi Road to a regional centre. SAI is a society under the Sports Department, not a CSS desk with a fixed Delhi tenure. Read Sports Authority of India organisation notes and Delhi central jobs before you lock leave plans.
The SahisarkariJobs.in Analyst’s Take
Compare this circular with the other tabs a serving Section Officer actually keeps open: BIS Section Officer deputation (also about 20 Level-07 seats across regional offices), UIDAI Section Officer on foreign-service terms, NIC Section Officer deputation, and SAI’s own Assistant Director deputation. BIS and UIDAI often state tenure and APAR rules in one page. SAI’s public summary is thinner, but the work is sports-administration rather than standards or Aadhaar operations. Against CSS rotational transfer, this is a borrowing-organisation move, not a cadre-unit shuffle.
Best fit: Central or State Assistants / Section Officers who already handle establishment, pay fixation, MACP, pensions or coordination, and who can spare two to three years outside the parent office without losing a promotion panel at home.
Who should walk past this: Fresh graduates, bank SO aspirants, private HR executives, and retired officers still refreshing the January 2026 saijobs login. Also skip it if your cadre will not issue a NOC before winter, or if you need a guaranteed New Delhi-only desk for family reasons.
Practical tip: Start the parent-office file this week. Five-year APARs, vigilance, and cadre clearance take longer than filling the two-page proforma. If the PDF allows an advance copy to Room 210, send that copy and still push the proper-channel set. An interview call without relieving papers is a hollow win.
Also Read: NALSA New Delhi Recruitment 2026 – Apply Offline for 12 Assistant, Stenographer & Legal Posts
Realistic timeline from similar SAI deputation cycles: scrutiny and interview often land two to four months after the close date, then relieving depends on your cadre, not on SAI alone.
What Documents Are Required?
Carry and attach what a standard SAI deputation set demands, then match the annexure list in the PDF:
- Prescribed application proforma, signed
- Proof of date of birth
- Degree / educational certificates
- Appointment and promotion orders showing Level-06 or Level-07 regular status
- Experience/service certificate with exact dates
- APARs for the last five years
- Vigilance clearance
- Cadre clearance / NOC
- Last Pay Certificate
- Photo ID
- Passport-size photograph as specified
- Any other paper listed in the circular
Document alert: A Level-06 pay slip without a regular appointment order will not prove five years’ regular service. Get the establishment section to certify the grade and nature of appointment.
What Are the Service Conditions? – Deputation, Pay Option & Posting
- Appointment is on deputation, not a fresh regular SAI vacancy filled by open exam.
- Tenure, extension and the cap on total deputation years follow the circular and DoPT OM on deputation (commonly referred to as OM No. 6/8/2009-Estt.(Pay-II) and later amendments). Quote only what this PDF prints.
- Pay: Level-07 scale, with the usual deputation choice between parent pay plus deputation allowance or pay fixation in the borrowing organisation, as permitted by rules.
- Posting: Head Office, New Delhi, or another SAI centre. Preference, if invited, is not a posting guarantee.
- Bond/surety: not published in the summary. If the PDF imposes one, read it before you accept.
- Return to parent cadre is the default end-state unless a later absorption order exists. Do not treat this circular as absorption.
Serving employees must obtain cadre permission. For deputation, NOC is not a “bring it at DV if asked” formality. The parent department has to forward the officer.
What Happens After Selection?
- SAI shortlists from complete, forwarded applications and calls officers for interview.
- After interview, a recommended list is drawn. Offer depends on current vigilance and cadre vacancy.
- Parent department issues relieving; SAI issues joining instructions for Head Office or a named centre.
- You join, complete document verification and medical formalities required by SAI.
- Pay is fixed on the chosen deputation option after LPC arrives from the parent DDO.
- You work as Section Officer on SAI files until the sanctioned deputation term ends or you are repatriated earlier under rules.
No separate “probation as a new SAI recruit” is described for this deputation route. Confirmation, seniority and promotion remain parent-cadre matters unless a later order says otherwise.
Contact & Helpline
Sports Authority of India, Head Office
Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium Complex (East Gate / Gate No. 10), Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110003
Recruitment desk used on 2026 SAI circulars:
Email: recruitment.cell.sai@gov.in
IT/portal queries: itdivisionhq-sai@gov.in
Phone numbers seen on official SAI Head Office papers: 011-24362701 (HR / HRD division on office orders), 011-24360525 (Head Office board listed on older contact pages).
Deputation packets in 2026 AD circulars were addressed to Director (HRD-II), Room No. 210, 2nd Floor at the same stadium complex. Confirm the room number on this Section Officer PDF before you print the envelope.
Jobs page: sportsauthorityofindia. nic.in/sai_new/job-opportunities
⚠️ Contact details sourced from the official SAI website and contemporaneous SAI recruitment circulars. Verify before writing. NEVER pay any money over the phone or to any person claiming to offer job assistance. Report fraud to cybercrime.gov.in.
Important Links – SAI Section Officer 2026
| Description | Link |
|---|---|
| Notification / form | Download SAI Section Officer Recruitment 2026 circular from the official jobs page |
| Apply Offline | Use the official SAI recruitment page to collect the proforma, then post the set |
| Official website | Visit the Sports Authority of India website |
| Parent ministry | Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports |
| Recruitment email | recruitment.cell.sai@gov.in |
A standalone .pdf file URL was not published on the pages checked on 10 September 2026. Do not use a constructed filename. Download only from the official jobs listing.
FAQs – SAI Delhi Section Officer Recruitment 2026
What is the last date to apply for SAI Section Officer 2026?
08 October 2026. That is the date the application should reach SAI unless the PDF uses a different rule. No extension is announced as of 10 September 2026.
What is the age limit for SAI Section Officer?
56 years as on 08 October 2026. The published text does not print extra years for OBC or SC/ST. Check the official circular before assuming any relaxation.
Is there an exam for SAI Section Officer, or is it interview-based?
No written exam is mentioned. Selection is described as an interview after scrutiny of deputation papers. Call-letter dates will come later on the SAI website.
What is the salary of a SAI Section Officer?
Level-07, ₹44,900–₹1,42,400. In New Delhi, indicative in-hand is about ₹68,000–₹78,000 per month after DA, 30% HRA and NPS. Final pay follows the deputation option that you and DoPT rules allow.
Can final-year students or result-awaited candidates apply for SAI 2026?
No. This circular is for serving government officers already in Level-06 or Level-07. Students and first-job seekers are outside the eligibility routes.
Is SAI Section Officer a permanent government job?
No. This notification fills the post on deputation. You stay on the parent cadre and return when the term ends, unless a separate absorption order is issued later.
Can candidates from other states apply for SAI recruitment?
Yes, if they are serving Central, State or UT officers and meet the pay-level test. No state domicile lock is published for this circular.
Where will I be posted if I get selected for SAI Section Officer?
Head Office at Lodhi Road, New Delhi, or another SAI centre. Allotment is SAI’s to make. Do not plan on a fixed Delhi desk unless the offer letter names that station.
Do I need to apply online on the saijobs portal?
No, for this cycle, as per the published details. This window is offline by Speed Post or Registered Post. The saijobs portal belongs to other SAI recruitments, including the closed retired-officer Section Officer drive.
Is NOC required before I apply?
Yes, for deputation. Parent cadre must forward or clear the officer. Readiness at joining is not enough if the circular asks for proper-channel papers with the form.
What is the in-hand salary of a central Section Officer in New Delhi?
On Level-07 with current DA and 30% HRA, many officers take home roughly ₹68,000–₹78,000. Deputation allowance or parent-pay option can change that figure. Use the 7th CPC calculator only as a check.
Are sports-body administrative jobs worth it for serving Assistants?
They suit officers who want national-scheme files and a change of organisation without leaving government service. The trade-off is temporary tenure and possible posting outside Delhi.
What are the disadvantages of SAI Section Officer deputation?
Here’s the catch: it is not a regular SAI appointment through exam, tenure can end with repatriation, and the public circular is thin on years, bond and centre-wise vacancies. If your home cadre has a promotion panel this year, time the relieving with that panel, not only with SAI’s interview date.
Final Checklist – Is This the Right Job for You?
- You are a serving Central / State / UT officer on regular Level-07, or you complete 5 years’ regular Level-06 service by the cut-off.
- You will be 56 or below on 08 October 2026.
- You can get NOC, vigilance and APARs moving through the proper channel in time.
- You accept deputation terms and possible posting outside New Delhi.
- You are not mixing this circular with the closed retired-officer LPD-minus-pension Section Officer window.
- The packet can reach Gate No. 10, JN Stadium, New Delhi, by 08 October 2026.
📄 Source: Official notification released by Sports Authority of India on 09 September 2026 (Advt. No. 01-04001(03)/7/2025-HO). All details above are drawn from that circular as carried on the SAI website. Download the PDF only from the official SAI jobs page.