National Awards to Teachers 2026: Eligibility, Benefits & How to Apply Online
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Quick answer
The National Awards to Teachers is an initiative by the Ministry of Education to celebrate outstanding school educators across the country. Regular school teachers and heads of schools with at least ten years of service receive prestigious national recognition presented on Teacher's Day. Applications must be completed online directly through the official NAT portal.
At a glance
| Main benefit | Presidential honour presented on Teacher's Day |
| Ministry / department | Ministry of Education |
| Level | Central Government |
| Application mode | Online |
About the scheme
Introduced in 1958 by the Ministry of Education, the National Awards to Teachers scheme acknowledges the exceptional dedication of primary, middle, and secondary school educators in India. The programme highlights teachers and school heads whose commitment has upgraded the quality of school instruction and enriched their students' educational journeys. Conferred every year on 5th September, this honour serves as India's highest official recognition for meritorious school faculty across government, local body, aided, and recognised board-affiliated institutions.
Benefits
- Prestigious public recognition presented by the President of India or the Vice President of India on 5th September (Teacher's Day) each year.
- National celebration and formal acknowledgement of exceptional contributions towards student development and school education quality.
Who can apply (eligibility)
- School teachers and Heads of Schools working in recognised primary, middle, high, or higher secondary schools.
- Teachers working in schools managed by State Governments, Union Territory Administrations, local bodies, or aided by State/UT administrations, as well as private schools affiliated with State/UT Boards.
- Faculty in Central Government institutions including Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs), Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs), Sainik Schools under MoD, Atomic Energy Education Society (AEES) schools, and Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) under the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.
- Teachers from schools affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) or the Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE).
- Must be a regular teacher or Head of School with a minimum of 10 years of service.
- Retired teachers who served at least four months in the award calendar year (up to 30th April) and fulfil all other conditions may also be considered.
Who cannot apply
- Retired teachers who did not serve at least four months (up to 30th April) in the relevant award year.
- Educational administrators, inspectors of education, and training institute staff.
- Teachers or Headmasters who have engaged in private tuitions.
- Contractual teachers and Shiksha Mitras.
Documents required
- Applicant photograph in JPEG/JPG/PNG format (maximum 100 KB).
- Biography and achievements record in PDF format.
- Service record document in PDF format.
- School-wise record document in PDF format.
- Experience record document in PDF format.
- Supporting PDF documents for objective criteria.
- Supporting YouTube video URL for objective criteria (optional).
- Supporting PDF documents for performance against criteria.
- Supporting YouTube video URL for performance against criteria (optional).
- Google Drive link containing all supporting materials (in case of PDF upload difficulties).
- Certificate from the controlling officer regarding regular attendance, in-service training, student enrollment enhancement, and dropout reduction.
- Shortlisted candidates must also upload an application letter and provide details of up to five positively impacted students for presentation to the Independent National Jury.
How to apply
- 1Visit the official portal at nationalawardstoteachers.education.gov.in and click on 'New Registration'.
- 2Fill in the registration form with your school organisation type, applicant name, mobile number, and email address, then submit.
- 3Click the account activation link sent to your registered email from helpdesk-nat@gov.in and complete mobile number verification via OTP.
- 4Create a secure password of at least 8 characters containing uppercase, lowercase, numeric, and special characters to complete registration.
- 5Log in to the portal using your registered mobile number, password, and captcha.
- 6Complete all application sections including Personal Details, School Details, Service Record, Objective Criteria, and Performance details.
- 7Upload required files ensuring PDFs are under 5 MB with no special characters in file names, or provide a Google Drive link if upload issues arise.
- 8Click 'Preview Application' to inspect all data, accept the final declaration, and click 'Final Submission'.
Frequently asked questions
Who presents the National Awards to Teachers?+
The award is conferred by the President of India or the Vice President of India on 5th September (Teacher's Day).
What is the minimum teaching experience required to apply?+
Applicants must be regular teachers or Heads of Schools with a minimum of ten years of service.
Are contract teachers or Shiksha Mitras eligible?+
No, contractual teachers and Shiksha Mitras are explicitly not eligible for this award.
Can retired teachers apply for the award?+
Generally retired teachers are not eligible, but those who served at least four months in the award calendar year up to 30th April may be considered.
Can teachers giving private tuitions apply?+
No, teachers or headmasters who have indulged in tuitions are barred from applying.
Can changes be made after final application submission?+
No, once the form is submitted via the portal, no further modifications or edits are permitted.
NaukriZila is not a government website. Apply only on the official portal; never pay anyone to apply for a government scheme. Source: myScheme (Government of India)