The Ministry of Education has officially started accepting nominations for the National Teachers’ Awards 2026. Eligible faculty members can submit their applications online through the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal at nationalawardstoteachers.education.gov.in.
National Awards to Teachers 2026: Key Highlights
The awards are designed to celebrate excellence in higher education and encourage innovative teaching practices. The Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education is overseeing the nomination and selection process.
Applications are now open on the official awards portal, and interested candidates are advised to complete registration before the deadline.
Process
- All the applications would be received through an online web portal.
- Ministry of Education would ensure coordination with States/UTs regarding timely submission / entry into the portal and resolution of technical and operational issues during data entry into portal through the portal development agency.
- Ministry of Education will bear the entire expenditure for development and maintenance of the portal.
- In case of State/UTs, teachers and heads of schools themselves shall apply directly by filling the application form online through the web portal before the prescribed cut-off date.
- Every applicant shall submit a portfolio, online along with the Entry Form. The portfolio shall include relevant supporting material such as documents, tools, reports of activities, field visits, photographs, audios or videos etc.
Important Dates
| Nomination Start Date | June 15, 2026 |
| Nomination End Date | July 10, 2026 |
| Date of final submission of self-nomination by teachers | 13th July, 2026 |
| Constitution of Independent National Jury by Hon’ble Union Education Minister | In the middle of July, 2026 |
| District/Regional Committee shortlists teachers and forwards online to State/Organization Committee | 14th July to 21st July, 2026 |
| State Selection Committee / Organization Selection Committee shortlist to be forwarded to Independent National Jury through online portal | 22nd July to 29th July, 2026 |
| Intimation to all the shortlisted candidates (154 Max) for selection by Jury through VC interaction as may be decided | 30th to 31st July, 2026 |
| Selection process by Jury through VC interaction as may be decided | 3rd August to 7th August, 2026 |
| Finalization of names by Independent National Jury | 8th August, 2026 |
| Intimation to selected candidates after approval of Hon’ble Union Education Minister | 10th August to 20th August, 2026 |
| Rehearsal and Award Ceremony | 4th & 5th September, 2026 |
Who Can Apply?
Faculty members seeking nomination for the National Awards to Teachers 2026 must meet specific eligibility criteria set by the Ministry of Education.
Eligibility Criteria
School teachers and Heads of Schools working in recognized primary/middle/high/higher secondary schools under the following categories:
(a) Schools run by State Govt./UTs Administration, schools run by local bodies, schools aided by State Govt. and UT Administration and Private schools affiliated to State/UTs Board.
(b) Central Govt. Schools i.e. Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs), Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs), Sainik Schools run by Ministry of Defence (MoD), Schools run by Atomic Energy Education Society (AEES) and Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) run by Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
(c) Schools affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) (other than those at (a) and (b) above)
(d) Schools affiliated to Council for Indian Schools Certificate Examination (CISCE)(Other than those at (a), (b) and (c) above)
- Normally retired teachers are not eligible for the award but those teachers who have served a part of the calendar year (at least for four months i.e. up to 30th April in the year to which National Awards relate) may be considered if they fulfill all other conditions.
- Educational Administrators, Inspectors of Education, and the staff of training Institutes are not eligible for these awards.
- Teacher/Headmaster should not have indulged in tuitions.
- Only regular Teachers and Heads of Schools with minimum ten years of services are eligible.
- Contractual Teachers and Shiksha Mitras are not eligible.
Selection Process
Teachers will be evaluated based on the evaluation matrix given at Annexure-I. Evaluation matrix contains two types of criteria for evaluation: Objective criteria : Under this the teachers will be awarded marks against each of the objective criteria. These criteria are given the weightage of 10 out of 100.
- Performance against criteria : Under this, teachers will be awarded marks on criteria based on performance e.g. initiatives to improve learning outcomes, innovative experiments undertaken, organization of extra and co-curricular activities, use of Teaching Learning Material, social mobility, ensuring experiential learning, unique ways to ensure physical education to students etc. These criteria are given the weightage of 90 out of 100.
Categories of Awards
The Ministry has divided the awards into two major categories to ensure fair representation of educators from different academic backgrounds and institutions. The detailed category-wise guidelines are available on the official portal.
How to Apply for National Awards to Teachers 2026
Procedure for application and selection :
(a) All the applications would be received through an online web portal.
(b) Ministry of Education would ensure coordination with States/UTs regarding timely submission / entry into the portal and resolution of technical and operational issues during data entry into portal through the portal development agency.
(c) Ministry of Education will bear the entire expenditure for development and maintenance of the portal.
(d) In case of State/UTs, teachers and heads of schools themselves shall apply directly by filling the application form online through the web portal before the prescribed cut-off date.
(e) Every applicant shall submit a portfolio, online along with the Entry Form. The portfolio shall include relevant supporting material such as documents, tools, reports of activities, field visits, photographs, audios or videos etc.
(f) Undertaking by the applicant: Each applicant shall give an undertaking that all the information/data submitted is true to the best of his/her knowledge and if anything is found at any later date to be untrue then he/she will be liable to disciplinary action.
Documents Required
While submitting the application, candidates may need the following:
- Educational qualification certificates
- Experience certificates
- Research publications or academic achievements
- Recommendation or supporting documents
- Identity proof and recent photograph
Selection Process
Selection Procedure for NAT-2026 will follow two-step process.
1) Preliminary Search cum Screening Committee for initial shortlisting of candidates
2) Committee of ‘Jury’ for final section of awardees from the shortlisted candidates
Objective of the Awards
The National Awards to Teachers aim to acknowledge educators who have transformed the learning experience through dedication, creativity, and academic leadership. The initiative also promotes quality education and motivates teachers to contribute towards educational excellence in India.
Official Application Portal
Interested applicants can submit their nominations through the official portal:
Awards Portal: awards.gov.in
- Apply for National Awards to Teachers 2026: Click Here
