President Droupadi Murmu will confer the National Teachers Awards 2026 at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on September 5, Teachers’ Day, with 82 teachers from school education, higher education and skill development set to receive the national honour.

The awards will recognise 48 school teachers, 21 teachers from higher education and 13 teachers associated with the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, highlighting contributions across different levels of education and training. The Ministry of Education will also broadcast the programme live.

For the school education category, the Department of School Education and Literacy selected 48 teachers through a three-stage process at the district, state and national levels. The awardees represent 27 states, seven Union Territories and six Central Government organisations. Among the 48 school teachers, 26 are male and 22 are female.

President Murmu to Present Awards on Teachers’ Day

The National Teachers Awards ceremony is organised annually by the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, on September 5. The awards are intended to recognise teachers whose commitment and work have contributed to improving the quality of education and making a meaningful difference to students.

Short documentaries showcasing the work and achievements of the 48 school-teacher awardees will also be screened during the ceremony.

Teachers’ Day in India is observed on September 5, the birth anniversary of former President, philosopher and educationist Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. The national observance has been associated with his birthday since 1962.

48 School Teachers Selected for National Award

The school-teacher awardees were selected after eligible teachers were invited to submit online self-nominations between June 15 and July 20, 2026.

The selection process involved scrutiny at the district, state and national levels. The Ministry has stated that the final list is not arranged according to any particular order of merit.

The 48 teachers come from a wide range of institutions, including government schools and schools associated with organisations such as the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, Eklavya Model Residential Schools and Sainik Schools.

Madhya Pradesh Gets Two School Teacher Awardees

Madhya Pradesh has two teachers among the 48 school-teacher recipients of the National Teachers Awards 2026.

Dr Archana Shukla has been selected from Government Mahatma Gandhi Sandipani Higher Secondary School, BHEL, Bhopal.

Shailendra Pratap Singh has been selected from Government Middle School Kanjwar in Sidhi district.

Their inclusion gives Madhya Pradesh representation among the teachers being recognised at the national ceremony in New Delhi.

Awardees From Across India

The school-teacher list includes educators from states and Union Territories across the country, including Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, northeastern states, southern states and several regions of northern and central India.

The list also includes teachers working with institutions under Central Government organisations. Among them are educators associated with Kendriya Vidyalayas, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, Eklavya Model Residential Schools and Sainik Schools.

The broader National Teachers Awards 2026 programme will additionally recognise teachers from higher education and skill development, taking the overall number of awardees to 82.

National Ceremony to Be Telecast Live

The September 5 ceremony will be available to viewers through multiple government broadcasting and digital platforms.

The Ministry of Education has said the programme will be telecast live on Doordarshan and the SWAYAM PRABHA channels. It will also be streamed on the government's webcast platform and through the Ministry of Education's social media channels.

The live programme will allow students, teachers and members of the public to follow the national recognition of educators.

National Teachers Awards 2026: Key Details

• Date: September 5, 2026
• Venue: Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi
• Presented by: President Droupadi Murmu
• Total awardees: 82
• School teachers: 48
• Higher education teachers: 21
• Skill development teachers: 13
• School-teacher male awardees: 26
• School-teacher female awardees: 22
• School-teacher representation: 27 States, 7 Union Territories and 6 Central Government organisations
• Madhya Pradesh school-teacher awardees: Dr Archana Shukla and Shailendra Pratap Singh
• School-teacher selection: District, State and National-level process
• Live coverage: Doordarshan, SWAYAM PRABHA and government webcast platforms