Teachers and principals in CBSE-affiliated private independent schools can now put their own names forward for the National Awards to Teachers 2025-26. The catch: applications close on July 12, 2026, and everything must go in online. There is no offline route this time.
The awards come from the Ministry of Education, which honours teachers for standout work in the classroom. This year the Ministry has asked CBSE to send up six names from private independent schools under its quota. To pick those six, the Board is asking eligible teachers and principals to apply directly, on their own.
Who can apply
The rules on service length are firm. Read them before you start filling the form.
| Category | Service required by 31 March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Teacher | At least 10 years of regular service as a teacher in school(s) affiliated to a recognised board |
| Principal | 10 years as a teacher plus 5 years as a Principal in CBSE-affiliated school(s) |
A few more points settle the doubts:
- Teachers or principals who retired on or after 31 March 2026 can still apply.
- Principals cannot apply under the ‘Teacher’ category.
- One person, one category. You can’t hedge your bets across two.
How to apply
Only online applications will be taken. Register and apply at:
https://academic.cbseit.in/tchaward/
Along with the form, applicants must upload:
- An undertaking that all the details and documents submitted are genuine.
- Recommendation letters, including certification of continuous, regular service and vigilance clearance, signed by the school Manager. These must confirm no break in service for the last 10 years (teachers) or 15 years (principals).
- Copies of certificates, degrees and mark statements from Class 10/11/12 or equivalent (showing date of birth), graduation, post-graduation and professional qualifications such as NTT, ETE, B.El.Ed or B.Ed.
- Class results in Board or school examinations.
What happens after you apply
CBSE will build a merit list using experience, age, academic qualifications and marks in qualifying exams, among other things. From that list, the top 24 applicants get shortlisted. If two candidates tie, the Board can bring in extra criteria to separate them.
Shortlisted applicants then get two days to upload verified documents. Keep files ready in PDF, under 1MB each, signed and verified by the Head of School (for teachers) or the Manager (for principals). Photos go up as JPG under 50KB, and any teaching videos have to sit on YouTube with the link shared.
After that, a National Level Scrutiny Committee trims the list further and calls candidates for an interactive session. The final six names are decided at that stage.
Applicants are scored on both general and specific criteria: qualifications, published articles and books, action research, mentoring, community work, honours won, and subject-wise teaching effectiveness. PGT, TGT and PRT applicants, for instance, have to share YouTube links to 30-minute videos of their actual classroom teaching, backed by lesson plans.
The last date to apply is July 12, 2026. Schools have been asked to pass the word to every teacher on their rolls.