All India Football Federation’s referee’s committee has taken a new policy recently, initiated by Trevor Kettle who joined the AIFF as Chief Refereeing Officer in 2022. 

The policy says there will be no semi-professional referee in Indian football in the future. In a bid to implement the policy, the AIFF referees' committee has already started offering professional contracts to the referees, informing them about the policy. 

The country's leading referees, if employed, will have to leave their respective jobs and sign professional contracts exclusively according to the new decision. 

However, according to Referees’ Committee Chairman, K. Shankar, the decision to remove semi-professional referees will not be implemented now. But looking forward to the future, there will be no semi-professional referee in Indian football.  

Still, the country’s one of the leading Fifa-badge referees Pranjal Banerjee is worried and uncertain about continuing referring as he is reportedly unwilling to leave his current job. 

The signing of professional contract by the referees began almost 13 years ago. Currently the number of professional referees is around eight.   

It is learned that Pranjal had an informal discussion with Kettle regarding the issue and he reportedly asked about the financial security of those referees who will be signing professional contracts leaving their respective jobs. 

Now the 11-month contract reportedly does not have any such clause that can protect the respective referees if they become severely ill or injured during the 11-month period. Even if the respective referee's contract is not renewed after 11 months then also the current contract is unlikely to protect his future financially.  

But Shankar, when asked about the issue said, "In future, the professional referees can get additional financial benefits which can give them some financial security."

However, Shankar, the only Indian referee to have officiated three matches in the men’s Fifa World Cup in 2002 expressed optimism about the rise of new referees in Indian football. He explained, "Several promising referees are coming up from different states. We have decided to give the opportunity to the country's best promising referees in the senior national championship, Santosh Trophy." 

The 61-year-old former Fifa badge referee is also hopeful about the introduction of the VAR system in India. "It might be introduced within a couple of years. The Federation's top brass is trying its level-best. You know what a huge investment is needed to bring VAR,” concluded Shankar.