On Teachers' Day 2026, President Droupadi Murmu will present the National Awards to Teachers to 21 faculty members from Higher Education Institutions and polytechnics. The ceremony will take place at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.
President Droupadi Murmu to confer the National Awards to Teachers (NAT) on 21 teachers and faculty members from Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and polytechnics at a ceremony held at Vigyan Bhawan on the occasion of Teachers' Day 2026.
According to a release from the Ministry of Education, this year, 12 teachers/faculties from central HEIs, five from state universities including three government and two private colleges, and four from polytechnics including two government and two private polytechnics, have been selected for the Awards. Nominations for NAT 2026 were invited in the online mode through the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal and included provisions for self, institutional and peer nominations as part of Jan Bhagidari. Nominations were invited from May 26 to July 20.
Recipient Expresses Gratitude
The Award is conferred on exemplary teachers/faculty members, and the selection is based on their performance, as adjudged against several parameters including teaching-learning effectiveness, outreach activities, research and innovation, and sponsored research/faculty development programmes/consultancy teaching. Among the recipients, Dr Jayrajsinh Sarvaiya, Professor, Dean of Forensic Pharmacy, and Center Head for Drug and Food Forensics at the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), said that receiving the award is a great honour. "It is always a matter of pleasure and pride for us. It is not only recognition of our effort, but it is also the recognition of the place where we are working... recognition of the effort that we are putting in over the long years and the hard work everyone is doing. If it is recognised by the government itself, then it shows what the culture of this country is. We hope that we will be able to do more good deeds for this country in the coming years," he told ANI.
Selection Process and Award Expansion
The selection process involves two stages: an initial evaluation and shortlisting by a Preliminary Search-cum-Screening Committee, followed by final selection of awardees from the shortlisted nominees by a Jury Committee. The award category for HEIs and polytechnics was instituted in 2023; prior to that, the National Awards to Teachers were conferred only on school teachers. The expansion was carried out in alignment with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which called for rewards and recognition mechanisms to foster a culture of excellence across the education ecosystem.
The Significance of Teachers’ Day
Teachers’ Day is celebrated across India every year on September 5 to honour teachers and recognise their contribution to education and nation-building. The day marks the birth anniversary of former President Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, a renowned philosopher, scholar and teacher. His contribution to education and public life is remembered on the occasion.
Teachers’ Day provides an opportunity for students to express their gratitude and respect towards their teachers, who play an important role in imparting knowledge, nurturing talent and shaping the character of students. Schools and educational institutions across the country mark the occasion with various programmes and activities to acknowledge the contribution of teachers. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianetnews Editorial staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)