Instituted in 1958, the NATIONAL TEACHERS' AWARDS are given away by The President of India (or) The Vice President of India on 5th September (Teacher's Day) every year to give public recognition to meritorious teachers working in primary, middle and secondary schools. The NAT is being executed under the overall supervision of the Ministry of Education (MOE).

This Award was first instituted in the year 1958 to felicitate remarkable teachers and head masters in their quest to improve the quality of school education and enrich their students’ learning experiences.

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, local bodies, aided, and private schools affiliated to State/UT Boards.
b) Central Govt. Schools (KVs, JNVs, Sainik Schools, AEES).
c) CBSE-affiliated schools (other than above).
d) CISCE-affiliated schools (other than above).

(i) Normally retired teachers are not eligible, unless served at least 4 months that year.
(ii) Administrators, Inspectors, and training staff are not eligible.
(iii) Teacher/Headmaster should not have indulged in tuitions.
(iv) Only regular teachers and heads with 10+ years’ service are eligible.
(v) Contractual Teachers and Shiksha Mitras are not eligible.

It is a self-nominating Award. Teachers and Head teachers can apply directly online through the web portal before the prescribed cut-off date.

Retired teachers who have not served at least 4 months in the award year, teachers indulging in tuitions, Contractual Teachers, and Shiksha Mitras are not eligible.

Evaluation consists of Objective Criteria (10 marks) and Performance Criteria (90 marks), covering innovation, co-curricular activities, teaching material use, and experiential learning.

15th June – 10th July 2026: Online registration & self-nomination
13th July 2026: Final submission
14th – 21st July 2026: District/Regional shortlisting
22nd July – 29th July 2026: State/Org Committee forwarding to National Jury.

After the deadline, applications are first scrutinized by the District Selection Committee, then forwarded to State Committees, and finally to the Independent National Jury.

Applicants must complete: Primary Information, School Information, Principal Information, Questionnaire, and Profile before final submission.

Yes, you can save your application as a draft and complete it later before final submission.

No, once submitted, you cannot edit or modify the application form.

After successful submission, you will receive a confirmation message or email with your application ID.

You can track your application by logging into your profile dashboard on the official website.

Click on “Forgot Password” on the login page and follow the steps to reset your password.

Yes, principals and headmasters are also eligible to apply if they meet the required criteria.

No, the application process is completely online through the official portal.

The deadline will be announced on the official website. Late submissions are not accepted.

Selected teachers are invited to a formal ceremony where the President or Vice President of India presents the award.

For technical support, please contact the helpdesk via the details available on the official National Teachers’ Awards portal.