School principals invited to nominate
outstanding educators; awardees to attend a fully funded learning programme at
Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
New
Delhi, 9 June 2026:
The Shiv Nadar Foundation, in partnership with Saïd Business School, University
of Oxford, has opened nominations for the inaugural edition of India’s Best
Teachers’ Awards 2026, a national initiative to recognise exceptional educators
teaching Classes 9 to 12 across India.
School
principals and heads of government and private schools can submit nominations
until July 31, 2026. Award recipients will receive national recognition and a
fully funded scholarship to participate in a one-week learning and development
programme at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.
The
initiative reflects the belief that the quality of an education system is
deeply linked to the strength of its teachers. By combining national
recognition with structured capability-building through the Oxford learning
programme, the awards seek to support and elevate the teaching profession in a
sustained way.
India
has one of the world’s largest school education systems, with 98 lakh teachers
educating more than 24 crore students across 14 lakh schools. Within this vast
and diverse ecosystem, teachers work across varied geographies, school systems
and socio-economic contexts, often addressing very different classroom
realities. Across these settings, they play a vital role in shaping how
students learn, think and engage with the world.
As
access to information expands beyond textbooks and classrooms, the role of
teachers has become even more critical. Today’s educators are helping students
build critical thinking, curiosity, creativity and the ability to apply
learning to real-world situations. Recognising excellence in teaching is
therefore essential to strengthening educational outcomes and preparing young
people for a rapidly changing future.
The
awards aim to bring national visibility to exemplary educators whose work is
improving learning outcomes, inspiring students and strengthening school
communities. By recognising teachers working in diverse settings, the
initiative seeks to highlight the many forms that teaching excellence can take
in India.
The
awards are open to teachers of Geography, Business Studies and
Entrepreneurship, Computer Science, Economics, Physics, English, Environmental
Sciences, and Mathematics. Applications will be assessed on subject expertise,
innovation in teaching methodology, impact on student learning outcomes, and
leadership within schools and communities.
Beyond
recognition, the awards seek to promote continuous professional development and
peer learning among educators. The week-long Oxford learning programme will
provide award recipients with exposure to global perspectives on education,
leadership and innovation, while creating opportunities for exchange with a
wider community of practitioners and experts.
Shortlisted
finalists will be invited to participate in the final stage of the awards
process at Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR, on September 4 and 5, 2026.
School
principals can submit nominations through the awards portal: https://indiateacherawards.evalato.com/