How many players are in a mallakhamb team?
I · Intermediate · Apparatus and competitions · 1 of 4Boys and girls compete under 14, under 17 and under 19, by age on 31 December. A team has three or four competitors per age group, so a full state contingent is 12 boys and 12 girls. A team title needs at least three teams of at least three. Each competitor enters one age group only.
How it works
- Age groups: under 14, 17 and 19.
- Age date: 31 December.
- Team: three or four per age group.
- Contingent: 12 boys, 12 girls.
- Officials: coach and manager each.
- Team title: at least three teams.
- Each team: at least three competitors.
- One age group: per competitor.
The glossary has the age groups and events, the team, the team championship, the School Games Federation of India, the pole mallakhamb and the rope mallakhamb.
Tricky cases
A team of two outscores the three-player teams. Team title?
No. Two competitors are never counted for the team championship.
Can a coach call instructions during a set?
No. A judge can send the coach to the spectators' gallery.
How many in a full contingent?
Twenty-nine, with five officials.
Is a medical certificate needed?
Yes, for every competitor.
Why the rule exists
Requiring three competitors keeps a strong pair from taking a team title that a full team has to earn.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Team | Three or four | L R 3 |
| Team title | Three teams | L R 9.1.3 |
| Age | By 31 December | L R 1.2 |
From the rule book
SGFI, Rules & Regulations: Mallakhamb, with the MFI Code of Points (2008 edition), rules 1, 3, 9.1.3 and 12.8. Checked 15 October 2026. Official document: SGFI Rules & Regulations: Mallakhamb.