President Murmu to honour 21 teachers from HEIs, polytechnics on Teachers' Day
Synopsis
For just the third year since the National Awards to Teachers were expanded beyond schools, President Droupadi Murmu will honour 21 faculty from HEIs and polytechnics on 5 September 2026 — a quiet but significant signal of how NEP 2020 is reshaping institutional recognition in Indian higher education.
Key Takeaways
President Droupadi Murmu will confer National Awards to Teachers (NAT) on 21 faculty members on 5 September 2026 , observed as Teachers' Day .
Awardees include 12 from central HEIs, 5 from state universities, and 4 from polytechnics.
Nominations were accepted via the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal from 26 May to 20 July 2026 , allowing self, institutional, and peer nominations.
The NAT was extended to HEIs and polytechnics in 2023 , in line with the National Education Policy 2020 .
Selection involves a two-step process: screening committee shortlisting followed by a Committee of Jury final selection.
President Droupadi Murmu will confer the National Awards to Teachers (NAT) on 21 teachers and faculty members from Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and polytechnics on 5 September 2026, observed nationally as Teachers' Day, according to an official statement issued on Monday, 24 August.
Who Has Been Selected
Of the 21 awardees, 12 are faculty members from central HEIs, five are from state universities — comprising three government colleges and two private colleges — and four are from polytechnics, split equally between two government and two private institutions.
How Nominations Were Invited
Nominations for NAT 2026 were collected through the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal in online mode, with the nomination window open from 26 May to 20 July 2026. The process allowed self-nomination, institutional nomination, and peer nomination as part of the Jan Bhagidari initiative, reflecting a participatory public engagement model.
Selection Criteria and Process
Awardees are evaluated on multiple parameters including teaching-learning effectiveness, outreach activities, research and innovation, sponsored research, faculty development programmes, and consultancy. The selection follows a two-step process: an initial shortlisting by a Preliminary Search-cum-Screening Committee, followed by final selection by a Committee of Jury.
A Landmark Expansion Since 2023
Notably, it was only in 2023 that the Ministry of Education decided to extend the NAT framework to cover HEIs and polytechnics — categories that were previously excluded. Until then, the awards were conferred exclusively on school teachers. This expansion was aligned with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasised that rewards and recognitions must be extended across the education ecosystem to cultivate a culture of excellence.
Significance of the Annual Ceremony
The Ministry of Education organises a national-level function every 5 September to confer the National Awards on outstanding teachers. The awards are designed to celebrate the contributions of educators who have not only raised the quality of teaching but also made a lasting difference in the lives of their students. This year's ceremony marks the third consecutive year that higher education faculty will be recognised under the expanded NAT umbrella.
Point of View
Yet recognition frameworks had long stopped at the school gate. Three years in, the government has settled on a modest annual cohort of 21, which raises a legitimate question: is the number calibrated to maintain prestige, or is it simply too small to drive behavioural change across thousands of HEIs? The Jan Bhagidari nomination model is a genuine improvement in transparency, but the selection criteria — blending research output with teaching effectiveness — risk systematically favouring faculty at well-resourced central institutions over those doing exceptional work in under-resourced state colleges. That tension is worth watching as the award matures.
NationPress
25 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who will receive the National Awards to Teachers on Teachers' Day 2026?
A total of 21 faculty members from Higher Education Institutions and polytechnics will receive the National Awards to Teachers (NAT) on 5 September 2026. The group includes 12 from central HEIs, five from state universities, and four from polytechnics.
When were nominations open for NAT 2026?
Nominations for NAT 2026 were accepted online through the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal from 26 May to 20 July 2026. The process permitted self-nomination, institutional nomination, and peer nomination.
Why was the NAT expanded to include higher education faculty?
The expansion was decided in 2023 to align with the National Education Policy 2020, which called for rewards and recognition to be extended across the entire education ecosystem, not just school teaching. Prior to 2023, the awards were conferred only on school teachers.
How are NAT awardees selected?
Selection follows a two-step process: a Preliminary Search-cum-Screening Committee shortlists nominees based on parameters such as teaching effectiveness, research, and outreach, and a Committee of Jury then makes the final selection from the shortlisted candidates.
What is the significance of Teachers' Day in India?
Teachers' Day is observed on 5 September every year in India, marking the birth anniversary of former President Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. The Ministry of Education uses the occasion to hold a national ceremony conferring the National Awards to Teachers on outstanding educators across the country.
