President Droupadi Murmu will confer the National Awards to Teachers (NAT) 2026 on 21 teachers and faculty members from higher educational institutions and polytechnics at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on Saturday, September 5, as part of the country’s Teachers’ Day observances.

The 21 awardees have been selected from central higher education institutions, state universities and polytechnic institutions for their contributions to teaching, research, innovation, outreach and other areas of academic work. The awards for higher education and polytechnics were introduced as separate categories in 2023, expanding the National Awards to Teachers beyond school education. 

21 Teachers Selected for National Awards

According to the Ministry of Education, the 2026 list includes 12 teachers and faculty members from central higher education institutions, five from state universities and four from polytechnics.

Among those from state universities, three are from government institutions and two are from private colleges. The polytechnic category comprises two government and two private institutions. (Press Information Bureau)

The awardees represent a wide range of disciplines, reflecting the breadth of India's higher education system.

The list includes Prof. Avlokita Agrawal of IIT Roorkee for Sustainable Architecture and Built Environment, Prof. Kirti Chandra Sahu of IIT Hyderabad for Chemical Engineering and Prof. Vinay Chamola of BITS Pilani for Electrical and Electronics Engineering.

Other awardees include faculty members from IIT Bhubaneswar, IIT Gandhinagar, IISER Bhopal, IIT Bombay, National Forensic Sciences University and IIT Kanpur. 

IISER Bhopal Faculty Among Awardees

Madhya Pradesh also features in this year's national recognition, with Prof. Sourav Datta of IISER Bhopal selected for the award in the discipline of Plant Sciences.

His selection places the Bhopal-based institute among the central higher education institutions represented in the 2026 National Awards to Teachers. 

The recognition comes as higher education institutions increasingly focus on research, innovation and interdisciplinary learning alongside conventional classroom teaching.

Selection Based on Teaching and Research

The Ministry said the awards recognise exemplary teachers and faculty members based on several parameters.

These include teaching-learning effectiveness, outreach activities, research and innovation, as well as sponsored research, faculty development programmes and consultancy-related teaching.

The selection process involved an initial evaluation by a Preliminary Search-cum-Screening Committee, followed by selection from the shortlisted nominees by a committee of jury. 

The nomination process was conducted online through the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal, with provisions for self, institutional and peer nominations under the Jan Bhagidari approach.

Higher Education Awards Expanded in 2023

The National Awards to Teachers were historically associated with school teachers. The government introduced dedicated categories for higher education institutions and polytechnics in 2023.

The expansion was aligned with the National Education Policy 2020, which emphasises creating a culture of excellence across India's education ecosystem and encourages recognition and incentives for outstanding educators. 

The higher education award framework covers technical and non-technical institutions and includes disciplines ranging from engineering and architecture to sciences, medicine, pharmacy, humanities, commerce and management. 

Teachers’ Day Celebrations in New Delhi

The award ceremony at Vigyan Bhawan is part of the wider Teachers’ Day programme being held across the country on September 5.

The government is separately honouring 48 school teachers with the National Teachers Awards 2026. President Murmu is also scheduled to confer those awards at Vigyan Bhawan. The school and higher education/polytechnic categories are distinct award streams. 

Teachers’ Day in India is observed annually on September 5 to mark the birth anniversary of former President, philosopher and educationist Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.

Recognition of Educators Across Sectors

The 2026 awards underline the government's effort to recognise contributions across different levels of education, from school teaching to university research and technical education.

For higher education faculty, the award criteria place emphasis not only on classroom effectiveness but also on research, innovation, outreach and broader institutional contributions.

With 21 educators from higher education institutions and polytechnics being recognised this year, the ceremony is expected to highlight the role of faculty members in strengthening India's teaching and research ecosystem.

The awards also come at a time when institutions are adapting to the priorities of the National Education Policy 2020, including multidisciplinary learning, innovation, research and stronger links between education and society.