New Delhi, Dec 1 (LatestNewsX) – The 68th edition of the National Shooting Championship (NSCC) has opened at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range, drawing over 16,000 competitors in rifle, pistol, and shotgun categories. Historically, the NSCC signals the start of a new season for Indian shooters, and this year’s Group 5 Trap qualifiers were the first to take their shots.
The previous year’s 67th NSCC saw 13,522 shooters pass qualification. Every top Indian athlete is now competing, and the month‑long schedule has been finalized in advance of the ISSF World Cup Finals in Doha, which will run from December 4 to 9 and feature 15 Indians.
Pistol contests will also be staged at the Karni Singh Ranges, while rifle events will unfold at the Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Academy in Bhopal. The pistol program opens on December 11 and winds down on January 4, 2026, the rifle competition starts the same day and ends on January 2, 2026, and the shotgun nationals occupy the full month of December, concluding on January 5, 2026.
Competitors will participate in seven categories — Super Masters (70+), Senior Masters (60‑70), Masters (45‑60), Seniors (Open), Juniors (21‑30), Youth (≤19) and Sub‑Youth (≤16) — across all three disciplines. Regardless of the category or categories entered, each shooter may fire only once during the championship; the resulting score will qualify them for any other categories they have registered under. Separate divisions for Para‑athletes and Deaf competitors are also available.
Athletes who have taken part in the 66th and 67th NSCCs, the 2025 Zonal Championships, the 34th G.V. Mavlankar Shooting Championship 2025, the India Open Competitions 2025, and the 27th All India Kumar Surendra Singh Shooting Championships 2025, and who have met Rule 17.6 of the NRAI Match Book, are cleared to enter the 68th NSCC.
The nation’s leading shooters will feature in the nationals, and their performances will influence the selection of the 2026 international squad. Forty teams will be represented, covering nearly every state and union territory, as well as teams from the armed forces and public institutions such as ONGC and the Railways.
Key dates for the finals: the Women’s and Junior Women’s Skeet finals fall on December 13, while the Men’s and Junior Men’s finals take place on December 16. Mixed‑team matches for seniors and juniors are scheduled for December 17.
In Trap, the finals for Women, Junior Women, and Junior Men are slated for December 29, and the Men’s final will occur on January 2, 2026. The mixed‑team final is set for January 3, 2026, with the shotgun events concluding on January 5, 2026 with the double‑trap competition.
Pistol events kick off on December 11 with qualifiers for the 10m Air Pistol and 25m Sports events. The 25m Pistol final will be held on December 15, and the 10m Air Pistol final on December 18. Men’s 25m Rapid Fire Pistol qualifications begin on December 23, with finals on December 26. Men’s 10m Air Pistol qualifiers run from December 20 to January 4, 2026, culminating in a final on the last day. The 10m Mixed Team final is scheduled for December 19. Olympic‑style finals will be held, while medals for non‑Olympic events will be decided from qualifying scores.
Rifle nationals in Bhopal start on December 11 with qualifiers for men’s 10m Air Rifle and 50m Rifle 3‑Positions. The 50m 3‑P final takes place on December 16, and the 10m Air Rifle final on December 22 after an intensive qualifying round of 51 relays. Mixed‑team finals occur on December 23. Women’s 50m 3‑Positions qualifiers start on December 24, and the 10m Air Rifle Women event opens on Christmas Day. The 50m 3‑P final is on December 27, followed by a 40‑relay qualification, with the 10m Rifle Women final on January 2, 2026.
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