The Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education has invited nominations for the prestigious National Awards to Teachers 2026. The nominations are being accepted online through the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal.
The awards aim to recognize and honour exemplary teachers and faculty members from technical and non-technical higher educational institutions as well as polytechnic institutes across India. The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is serving as the institutional partner for the awards.
The awards have been divided into two major categories. Category I is dedicated to teachers from Higher Educational Institutions and includes three broad sub-categories: Engineering & Technology including Architecture, Pure Sciences including Mathematics and Medicine, and Arts, Humanities, Commerce, Management, and Social Sciences. Category II is reserved for teachers from Polytechnic Institutions.
As per the eligibility criteria, applicants must be regular faculty members with at least five years of full-time teaching experience at undergraduate or postgraduate level. Applicants should not be above 55 years of age as on the last date of submission. Vice-Chancellors, Directors, and Principals currently serving in those positions are not eligible.
The nomination process will be conducted online and includes self-nomination, institutional nomination by Heads of Institutions, and peer nomination by colleagues from the same institution. Interested candidates can submit their applications through the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal at awards.gov.in. The last date for submission of nominations is July 5, 2026.
The initiative is expected to encourage academic excellence and acknowledge educators who have made significant contributions to higher education and technical learning in India.
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