by Viral YouTube teachers get the fame, but some of the country’s finest educators work quietly in government schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas and polytechnics. This year, two major honours put them in the spotlight: the National Teachers’ Award 2026 and the new India’s Best Teachers’ Awards. Here is who was recognised, how they were chosen and what students can learn from their stories.
National Teachers’ Award 2026: The Numbers
The National Teachers’ Awards were set up in 1958 and are given by the Ministry of Education on Teachers’ Day. For 2026, the Ministry announced 69 awardees for the ceremony on 5 September at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, with President Droupadi Murmu conferring the honours.
| Group | Awardees |
|---|---|
| School teachers | 48 |
| Higher education institutions and polytechnics | 21 |
| Of the 21: IIT faculty | 6 |
| Of the 21: women teachers | 5 |
The 48 school teachers come from government schools, PM SHRI schools, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Navodaya Vidyalayas, Eklavya Model Residential Schools, Sainik Schools and CBSE and CISCE schools. Names highlighted in coverage include Rajesh Bordoloi from Assam, Khushboo Kumari from Bihar, Amutha J from a Kendriya Vidyalaya in Madurai and Kirti Chandra Sahu from Telangana. Nominations came through the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal, where self, peer and institutional nominations were all accepted.
India’s Best Teachers’ Awards 2026: A New Benchmark
The first edition of the Oxford Saïd and Shiv Nadar Foundation awards drew more than 9,400 registrations from 32 States and Union Territories. The finale on 4 September 2026 at Shiv Nadar University featured 79 finalists, and 16 teachers won across eight subjects for Classes IX to XII, one from a public school and one from a private school in each.
| Subject | Public school winner | Private school winner |
|---|---|---|
| Physics | Sriram S, Puducherry | Vaishnavi Bhave, Nagpur |
| Mathematics | Bhagwati Bisht, Army Public School, Noida | S Krithika Ganesh, Chennai |
| Computer Science | Ishita Pandey, KV SECL Jhagrakhand | Jovitha Preethi, Bengaluru |
| English | Sakshi Deshwal, PM Shri GIC Purkazi | Suparna Misra, DPS Kanpur |
Selection focused on classroom practice rather than qualifications or years of service. Judges looked at conceptual accuracy, teaching methods, feedback, inclusion and evidence of student learning. Winners receive a five-week professional development programme and a fully funded one-week residential course at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.
What Students Can Learn From These Teachers
Awards aside, these educators show what good teaching looks like. Use the same yardstick when you judge any teacher, offline or online:
- Clear concepts: can they explain an idea in more than one way?
- Regular feedback: do they check what you actually understood?
- Inclusion: do they make room for slower and faster learners alike?
- Real-life links: do they connect lessons to examples you recognise?
Why These Awards Matter for Admissions and Careers
Students choosing colleges often check faculty quality alongside rankings. Six of the 21 higher education awardees are from IITs, a reminder that strong teaching and research often sit together. Compare institutions using our NIRF Ranking 2026 guide, and read about the educators students follow online in our top online educators in India feature.
National Teachers’ Award 2026 FAQs
Who gives the National Teachers’ Award? The Ministry of Education, Government of India, on Teachers’ Day each year.
Can teachers apply themselves? Yes. Self-nomination was open this year through the official portal, so interested teachers should watch the Ministry’s announcements for the next cycle.
Keep Reading
Choosing a teacher or course yourself? Use our checklist to choose the best online coaching and explore the best courses after 12th in 2026. For official details, visit the Ministry of Education. Source summaries: Careers360 News and the awards announcement published with Shiv Nadar Foundation.
