ICF Sports Quota Recruitment 2026: Apply Online for Posts in Football, Kabaddi, Hockey, Tennis and Volleyball
Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai, a production unit of the Ministry of Railways, has released a notification for the recruitment of sportspersons against the sports quota for the year 2026-27. The notice is Employment Notice No. PB/RR/39/Sports-Open/01/2026-2027, dated 10 November 2026. A total of 17 posts in Pay Level 1 and Pay Level 2 of the 7th CPC will be filled in Football, Kabaddi, Hockey, Tennis and Volleyball.
Online applications are open on pb.icf.gov.in from 10 November 2026 to 9 December 2026 (11:59 pm). Candidates must be 18 to 25 years old as on 1 January 2027, and no age relaxation is allowed. Selection will be based on a sports trial, sports achievements and educational qualification. There is no written exam. The trials and document verification will be held in Chennai. This article explains the game-wise vacancies, sports norms, eligibility, fee, marks distribution and how to apply. You can see more railway jobs on our latest jobs page.
Quick summary:
➤ Organisation: Integral Coach Factory (ICF), Chennai – Ministry of Railways
➤ Notice No.: PB/RR/39/Sports-Open/01/2026-2027 dated 10.11.2026
➤ Recruitment: Sports Quota (Open Advertisement) 2026-27
➤ Total posts: 17 (Level-1: 9, Level-2: 8)
➤ Games: Football, Kabaddi, Hockey, Tennis, Volleyball
➤ Age limit: 18–25 years as on 01.01.2027 (no relaxation)
➤ Apply online: 10 November to 9 December 2026
➤ Selection: Trial + Sports Achievement + Education (no written exam)
➤ Website: pb.icf.gov.in
ICF Sports Quota Recruitment 2026 Overview
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Integral Coach Factory, Chennai – 600 038 |
| Ministry | Ministry of Railways |
| Employment Notice No. | PB/RR/39/Sports-Open/01/2026-2027 |
| Recruitment Type | Sports Quota (Open Advertisement) |
| Total Posts | 17 |
| Pay Level | Level 1 (GP ₹1,800) and Level 2 (GP ₹1,900) |
| Application Mode | Online only |
| Selection Process | Document Verification, Trial, Sports Achievement Assessment, Medical |
| Trial Venue | Chennai |
| Official Website | pb.icf.gov.in |
ICF Sports Quota Recruitment 2026 Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Notification Date | 10 November 2026 |
| Online Application Starts | 10 November 2026 (9:00 am) |
| Last Date to Apply | 9 December 2026 (11:59 pm) |
| Age Calculation Date | 1 January 2027 |
| Sports Achievement Period | 1 April 2024 to 9 December 2026 |
| Document Verification | One day before the trial |
| Trial Date | Will be announced on the website / by SMS |
ICF Sports Quota Vacancy 2026 (Game and Position-wise)
| Pay Level | Game | Position | Posts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 (GP ₹1,800) | Football (Men) | Goalkeeper | 1 |
| Forward | 1 | ||
| Kabaddi (Men) | All-rounder | 1 | |
| Left Cover | 1 | ||
| Raider | 1 | ||
| Hockey (Men) | Attacker | 2 | |
| Midfielder | 2 | ||
| Level 1 Total | 9 | ||
| Level 2 (GP ₹1,900) | Football (Men) | Midfielder | 1 |
| Tennis (Men) | Singles / Doubles | 1 | |
| Volleyball (Women) | Blocker | 2 | |
| Volleyball (Men) | Attacker | 1 | |
| Blocker | 1 | ||
| All-rounder | 1 | ||
| Setter | 1 | ||
| Level 2 Total | 8 | ||
| Grand Total | 17 | ||
No post is reserved for SC / ST / OBC / EWS / Ex-Servicemen / PwBD candidates. Candidates can apply for only one position in their game. If no suitable candidate is found for a position, the post will remain unfilled.
ICF Sports Quota Salary 2026
| Pay Level | Grade Pay (6th CPC) | Starting Basic Pay (7th CPC) |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | ₹1,800 | ₹18,000 + allowances |
| Level 2 | ₹1,900 | ₹19,900 + allowances |
The notification gives only the pay level and grade pay. The starting basic pay shown above is the standard 7th CPC pay matrix figure for that level. DA, HRA and other railway allowances will be paid in addition.
ICF Sports Quota Eligibility 2026
Educational Qualification
| Post | Minimum Qualification |
|---|---|
| Junior Clerk (Level 2) | 12th (+2 stage) pass or equivalent |
| Technician Gr. III (Level 2) | 10th pass, or 10th + Act Apprentice / ITI from an NCVT-recognised institution in the relevant trade |
| Level 1 posts | 10th pass, or ITI or equivalent, or National Apprenticeship Certificate (NAC) from NCVT |
- Candidates selected as Junior Clerk must pass a typing test (30 wpm in English or 25 wpm in Hindi) within 4 years of appointment.
- Technician training will follow RBE No. 92/2024 dated 09.10.2024.
- Certificates from COBSE-listed boards and from Jharkhand State Open School, Ranchi are not recognised for railway jobs.
Age Limit
Candidates must be 18 to 25 years old as on 1 January 2027, which means born between 2 January 2002 and 1 January 2009 (both dates included). No upper or lower age relaxation is allowed in this open advertisement for any category.
ICF Sports Quota Minimum Sports Norms
| Pay Level | Minimum Sports Achievement (any one) |
|---|---|
| Level 2 |
|
| Level 1 |
|
Game-wise Special Conditions
- Hockey (Men) Level 1: participation in an international tournament (Senior or Junior) of four or more nations may be considered.
- Kabaddi (Men) Level 1: body weight must be 85 kg or below at the time of the trial. Heavier candidates will not be allowed to take part.
- Tennis (Men) Level 2: current All India ranking of up to 20 in Senior Singles, up to 4 in Senior Doubles, or up to 6 in Youth / Junior Singles. Mixed doubles ranking is not counted. A medal in the National Inter State Senior Championships may also be considered.
- Volleyball (Men and Women) Level 2: achievements in VFI events held after 25.06.2020 are not considered, except VFI National Championship medals won between 29.10.2025 and 21.04.2026. AIU and international federation certificates are valid.
- Junior National age groups accepted: Football U-19 (B.C. Roy Trophy), Kabaddi U-20, Volleyball U-19, Hockey U-20, Tennis U-18.
Only achievements between 1 April 2024 and 9 December 2026 will be counted, and the candidate must be an active player. All championships must be recognised by the Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB). Rural meets and festival meets are not considered.
ICF Sports Quota Application Fee
| Category | Fee |
|---|---|
| General / OBC / Others | ₹500 |
| SC / ST / Ex-Servicemen / PwBD / Women / Minorities / Economically Backward Class | ₹250 (refundable after appearing in the trial, minus bank charges) |
The fee must be paid online. Economically Backward Class here means an annual family income below ₹50,000, supported by an income certificate in the prescribed format. This is not the same as OBC. Minority candidates must give a self-declaration and bring an affidavit on non-judicial stamp paper to document verification.
ICF Sports Quota Selection Process and Marks
- Document verification, held one day before the trial
- Sports trial (40 marks): candidates must score at least 25 out of 40 to be declared FIT
- Assessment of sports achievements and education for FIT candidates
- Merit list and medical examination
| Component | Maximum Marks |
|---|---|
| Recognised Sports Achievements | 50 |
| Game Skill, Physical Fitness and Coach's Observation (Trial) | 40 |
| Educational Qualification | 10 |
| Total | 100 |
| Pay Level | Minimum Qualifying Marks |
|---|---|
| Level 2 | 65 out of 100 |
| Level 1 | 60 out of 100 |
If two candidates get the same marks, the younger candidate will be ranked higher. Selected candidates will be on probation for 2 years and must sign a 5-year service bond with ICF.
How to Apply for ICF Sports Quota Recruitment 2026
- Visit pb.icf.gov.in and open the Sports Quota (Open Advertisement) 2026-27 link.
- Read the notification and register. Your system-generated registration number is your login ID, and your date of birth (ddmmyyyy) is your password.
- Fill in your personal details, game, playing position, educational details and sports achievements.
- Upload a recent passport-size photo (JPG, maximum 400 KB) without a cap or sunglasses.
- Upload your signature and LTI / RTI (left / right thumb impression), each in a 50 mm × 20 mm box, as JPG at 100 dpi, 10–400 KB. The signature must be in running hand, not in block or capital letters.
- Upload self-attested scans of your sports achievement certificates (as per Para 4) and educational certificates.
- Pay the fee online and save the transaction ID starting with "DU".
- Check the preview, submit and take a printout. Bring it to document verification.
Only one application is allowed, and no corrections are possible after submission. There is no need to send a hard copy to ICF.
Documents for Verification
- Printout of the online application
- Original date of birth proof (10th certificate or birth certificate)
- Original educational and sports achievement certificates
- For AIU certificates: proof of being a student of that university / college (college ID, fee book, mark sheet, etc.)
- 2 recent passport-size photographs
- E-receipt of the fee
- Original photo ID (Aadhaar / PAN / Driving Licence / Passport)
- Community / EBC / minority certificate, if claiming a fee concession
- NOC from the employer, for those already in government / PSU service
ICF Sports Quota 2026 for West Bengal Players
This is an open advertisement, so footballers, hockey players, kabaddi players, volleyball players and tennis players from West Bengal can apply if they meet the sports norms. Bengal has a strong football culture, and players who have finished in the top three at the Junior Nationals (B.C. Roy Trophy, U-19) or the Senior Nationals, or in the AIU inter-university championship, can apply for the Football Goalkeeper and Forward (Level 1) or Midfielder (Level 2) posts. To qualify for a Level-1 post, a player who represented Bengal in the Senior Nationals needs the team to have finished in the top 8.
The trial and document verification will be held in Chennai, and no TA / DA or accommodation will be given, so Bengal candidates should plan their travel and stay in advance. All updates will come by SMS from "PBICF", so do not change your mobile number or email until selection is complete. Railway job seekers can also check the RRB Station Master recruitment 2026.
ICF Sports Quota Recruitment 2026 FAQs
Q1. How many posts are there in ICF Sports Quota Recruitment 2026?
There are 17 posts: 9 in Pay Level 1 and 8 in Pay Level 2.
Q2. What is the last date to apply?
The last date for the online application is 9 December 2026, until 11:59 pm.
Q3. What is the age limit for ICF sports quota 2026?
18 to 25 years as on 1 January 2027. No age relaxation is given to any category.
Q4. Which games are included?
Football (Men), Kabaddi (Men), Hockey (Men), Tennis (Men), Volleyball (Men) and Volleyball (Women).
Q5. Is there a written exam?
No. Selection is based on the sports trial (40 marks), sports achievements (50 marks) and educational qualification (10 marks).
Q6. Where will the trials be held?
The trials and document verification will be held in Chennai. The dates will be announced on pb.icf.gov.in and by SMS.
Q7. What is the application fee?
₹500 for General candidates. ₹250 for SC / ST / Ex-Servicemen / PwBD / Women / Minorities / EBC, refundable after appearing in the trial.
ICF Sports Quota Recruitment 2026 Important Links
Important Links
| Description | Link |
|---|---|
| Apply Online | pb.icf.gov.in |
| Official Notification PDF | Download PDF |
| Helpdesk | Raise Query |
| Join WhatsApp Channel | Join Now |
| Join Telegram Channel | Join Now |
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Pradip Chakraborty is a Biology teacher with 6+ years in content writing, including 3.5+ years on government jobs and education. He checks every official notice and explains it in simple words for students and job seekers. Spotted a mistake? Let us know.