President’s Medal for Distinguished Service 2026: Eligibility & Nomination Details

At a glance

About the scheme

The President’s Medal for Distinguished Service is instituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs to honour exceptional devotion to duty and meritorious contribution across Indian police forces, CAPFs, central police organisations, fire services, prison administration, and civil defence. Conferred annually on national occasions such as Republic Day and Independence Day, this award formally enters the service records of recipients, bringing lifelong professional prestige, credibility, and potential advancement in their public safety careers.

Benefits

• Conferment of the prestigious medal and official citation by the President of India
• National-level prestige and lifelong service honour
• Official recognition permanently entered into personal service records
• Career enhancement and improved professional credibility
• Consideration for future honours and departmental promotions

Who can apply (eligibility)

• Must be a serving member of Police Forces, CAPFs, CPOs, Fire Services, Prison Administration, Home Guards, or Civil Defence
• Must have completed a minimum of 25 years of service
• Must possess a clean service record with no major penalties during the review period
• Must have at least 10 years of ACR or APAR records under review
• Must have at least 8 'Very Good' or 'Outstanding' grading ratings, out of which at least 5 must be 'Outstanding'
• Must not have more than 1 missing ACR, and the last year's ACR must be available
• Must maintain SHAPE 1 physical fitness (relaxation possible in exceptional cases)
• Must maintain a gap of at least 6 years after receiving the Meritorious Service Medal (relaxable to 4 years in special cases)
• Must demonstrate exceptional ability, merit, or devotion to duty

Who cannot apply

• Personnel with major penalties during the review period
• Personnel with more than one missing ACR in the review period or missing last year ACR
• Personnel failing to maintain SHAPE 1 fitness unless granted an exceptional relaxation
• Personnel with pending vigilance issues, disciplinary actions, or criminal cases

Documents required

• Service Record Certificate
• Annual Confidential Reports (ACRs) / Annual Performance Appraisal Reports (APARs)
• Vigilance Clearance Certificate
• Integrity Certificate
• Medical Fitness Certificate (SHAPE Category)
• Recommendation Letter from Competent Authority
• Citation Document highlighting service contribution
• Cadre Clearance Certificate
• Verification Reports from IB, CBI, or MHA (if applicable)

How to apply

1. 1The recommending authority visits the National Awards Portal at awards.gov.in.
2. 2Log in using the official credentials of the recommending department or state organisation.
3. 3Fill in the complete online nomination form with the candidate's service and personal details.
4. 4Prepare the official nomination proposal including ACR/APAR details, citations, and service sheets.
5. 5Upload the mandatory clearance documents and submit the proposal through the state government or central organisation.

Frequently asked questions