The Department of Higher Education under the Ministry of Education has invited nominations for the National Awards to Teachers (Higher Educational Institutions and Polytechnics) 2026, aimed at recognising outstanding faculty members for excellence in teaching, research, innovation and academic leadership.
The nominations are being accepted through the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal at awards.gov.in, with the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) serving as the institutional partner for the awards.
According to the Ministry of Education, the awards will honour “exemplary teachers/faculty members from technical and non-technical higher educational institutions and Polytechnics” across the country.
The awards have been divided into two categories. Category I covers teachers from higher educational institutions and includes three broad sub-categories — Engineering and Technology, Architecture and related disciplines; Pure Sciences including Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Medicine and Pharmacy; and Arts, Social Sciences, Humanities, Languages, Legal Studies, Commerce and Management.
“The list of disciplines/subjects is indicative only and will also include any other discipline/subject/emerging knowledge domain pertaining to higher education,” the ministry said.
Category II is dedicated to teachers and faculty members of Polytechnic institutions.
The awards are open to regular faculty members of colleges, universities, higher educational institutions and polytechnics who fulfil the prescribed eligibility conditions. Applicants must have a minimum of five years of full-time teaching experience at undergraduate and/or postgraduate level and should not be above 55 years of age as on the last date of submission of nominations.
Vice-Chancellors, Directors and Principals, whether regular or officiating, are not eligible to apply. However, those who previously held such positions and are currently in active service while being below 55 years of age can submit nominations.
The ministry has allowed three modes of nomination under what it described as an online “Janbhagidari” process — self-nomination, institutional nomination by heads of institutions and peer nomination by colleagues from the same institution where the nominee is employed.
“All nominations must be submitted in the prescribed format on the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal,” the ministry said, adding that the last date for submission is July 5, 2026.
The National Awards to Teachers for Higher Educational Institutions and Polytechnics were introduced in 2023 under the broader National Award to Teachers framework, which was earlier limited to school teachers. The initiative aligns with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasises recognition and incentives for educators to strengthen quality in higher education.
In 2025, the Department of Higher Education selected 21 teachers from higher educational institutions and polytechnics for the national honours. The awards recognised contributions in teaching-learning effectiveness, outreach activities, research and innovation, consultancy and faculty development initiatives.
Applicants seeking clarification regarding the 2026 awards can contact AICTE through email at helpdesknataward26@aicte-india.org or through the helpline numbers provided on the portal.