Question Details

Read the passage and answer the following questions.

India’s association with the Olympics dates back to 1900, when Norman Pritchard, a British-Indian sportsperson, secured two silver medals in athletics. Yet, India’s first true team breakthrough arrived much later—at the 1928 Amsterdam Games—when the men’s hockey squad captured its maiden Olympic gold and announced India’s dominance on the world stage. Thereafter came a celebrated phase in which Indian men’s hockey ruled the Olympics, collecting eight gold medals from 1928 to 1980—an extraordinary record.

However, this brilliance did not translate into consistent overall success. After 1980, India experienced a striking medal lull, revealing deeper structural shortcomings such as weak infrastructure, insufficient training systems, and limited grassroots talent identification. Many athletes had to depend heavily on personal grit rather than organized support to reach global standards.

In recent decades, though, the story has shifted towards guarded hope. With initiatives like the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and stronger corporate backing, athletes increasingly receive better coaching, nutrition planning, and mental-conditioning support. Medal counts remain moderate but have improved—highlighted by Neeraj Chopra’s landmark javelin gold at Tokyo 2020. Another encouraging development is the widening of India’s sporting footprint: progress is now visible across badminton, shooting, boxing, athletics, and more—not just hockey and wrestling.

Notably, Indian women athletes have also emerged as key contributors in recent Olympic performances. Even so, converting promise into podium finishes still demands sustained funding, scientific sports planning, and a culture that values multiple sports beyond cricket. India’s Olympic identity is still taking shape, but the ambition is unmistakable: to evolve from participation to true powerhouse status.

Which programme is cited in the passage as a major boost to India’s modern Olympic preparation?

Options

A

Khel Pragati Abhiyan

B

Olympic Excellence Drive

C

Fit Nation Campaign

D

Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)

Show Answer

Correct Answer :

Option D

Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS)

Solution :

The correct answer is Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS).


Step-by-step Explanation:


1. Analyze the Question: The question asks to identify the specific programme mentioned in the passage that provided a major boost to India’s modern Olympic preparation.


2. Scan the Passage for Key Information: In the third paragraph, the passage states:

"In recent decades, though, the story has shifted towards guarded hope. With initiatives like the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) and stronger corporate backing, athletes increasingly receive better coaching, nutrition planning, and mental-conditioning support."


3. Conclusion: The passage explicitly identifies the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) as the initiative supporting athletes with better coaching, nutrition planning, and mental-conditioning, thus providing a major boost to modern preparation.

Unlock Our Free Library

Access expert-curated educational resources and study materials—completely free.

Discover more resources

You may also like

Mock Tests

View All
  • CLAT
  • intermediate
  • 2 hours
  • current affairs, english, general knowledge, legal reasoning, logical reasoning, quant

  • CLAT
  • intermediate
  • 2 hours
  • current affairs, english, general knowledge, legal reasoning, logical reasoning, quant

Ask AI Tutor
5 left
Q1 View Question & Options
AI Tutor is solving this question...
Reading question context & options...