What Happened
President Smt Droupadi Murmu will confer National Awards to Teachers (NAT) on 21 teachers and faculty members from Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and polytechnics. The ceremony is scheduled for September 5, 2026, at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, coinciding with Teachers Day 2026.
Key Facts
- Twenty-one teachers and faculty members from HEIs and polytechnics have been selected for the National Awards to Teachers.
- The awardees include 12 teachers from central HEIs.
- Five awardees are from state universities, comprising three from government and two from private colleges.
- Four awardees are from polytechnics, with two from government and two from private polytechnics.
- Nominations for NAT 2026 were accepted online via the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal between May 26 and July 20, 2026.
- The selection process involved a two-step procedure: an initial evaluation by a Preliminary Search-cum Screening Committee, followed by selection from shortlisted nominees by a Committee of Jury.
- Award recipients were chosen based on performance criteria, including teaching-learning effectiveness, outreach activities, research and innovation, and sponsored research/faculty development programmes/consultancy teaching.
- The National Awards to Teachers were expanded in 2023 to include HEIs and polytechnics, having previously been conferred only on school teachers.
Why It Matters
This initiative expands the scope of national recognition for educators beyond school teachers to include those in Higher Education Institutions and polytechnics. This aligns with the vision of the National Education Policy 2020, which supports incentives and recognitions to foster excellence within the education system.
What To Watch
The conferment ceremony will take place on September 5, 2026. The full list of 21 awardees has been released by the Ministry of Education.
