The Department of Higher Education, under the Ministry of Education, has recognised the exceptional contributions of 16 teachers from Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) and Polytechnics across India by selecting them for the prestigious National Awards to Teachers (NAT) 2024. This marks a significant expansion of the NAT program, which was traditionally focused on school teachers and now includes educators from higher education and polytechnic institutions.
The selection process for NAT 2024 is rooted in the principles of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasises the importance of motivated, energised, and capable faculty in advancing student outcomes, institutional performance, and the broader educational profession. The NEP 2020 also advocates for rewards and recognition to foster a culture of excellence within the education ecosystem.
This year, the NAT program introduced two distinct categories for awards: one for teachers in Higher Educational Institutions and another for those in Polytechnic Institutions. The awards are distributed across various academic disciplines, including Engineering, Technology, Architecture, Pure Sciences, Mathematics, Arts, Social Sciences, Humanities, and more.
The selection criteria for these awards were based on a comprehensive evaluation of the teachers’ performance, focusing on Teaching Learning Effectiveness, Outreach Activities, Research and Innovation, and Sponsored Research/Faculty Development Programs/Consultancy Teaching. Among these, learning effectiveness and outreach activities held the highest weight in the evaluation process.
The selection procedure involved a two-step process: first, a Preliminary Search-cum-Screening Committee shortlisted the nominees, and then a Jury Committee selected the final awardees from this list. Nominations were invited online through the Rashtriya Puraskar Portal, which allows for self-, institutional, and peer nominations.
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The 16 awardees represent a diverse group of educators from Polytechnics, State Universities, and Central Higher Education Institutions across India. Below is a list of the honoured teachers and their respective institutions:
- Dr. Gandhimathi A – Thiagarajar Polytechnic College, Tamil Nadu
- Prof. Parmar Ranjitkumar Khimjibhai – Government Polytechnic Khadiya, Gujarat
- Prof. Nidhi Jain – Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Delhi
- Dr. Smiline Girija – Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Tamil Nadu
- Prof. Birinchi Kumar Sarma – Banaras Hindu University, Uttar Pradesh
- Prof. Srinivas Hotha – Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Pune, Maharashtra
- Dr S R Keshava – Bangalore University, Karnataka
- Prof. Shilpagauri Prasad Ganpule – PDEA’s Prof. Ramkrishna More College, Maharashtra
- Dr. Chayapuram Jaya Sankar Babu – Pondicherry University, Puducherry
- Prof. Nilabh Tiwari – Central Sanskrit University, Madhya Pradesh
- Prof. Vinay Sharma – Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Uttarakhand
- Dr. Nandavaram Mrudula – Govt. Degree College for Women, Telangana
- Dr. Shimi S L – Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh
- Prof. Kapil Ahuja – Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Madhya Pradesh
- Dr. Anitha Suseelan – CHRIST Deemed to be University, Karnataka
- Prof. Dr. Shahanaz Ayub – Bundelkhand Institute of Engineering and Technology, Uttar Pradesh
These awards not only recognise the individual achievements of these educators but also underscore the critical role they play in shaping the future of higher education in India. The Department of Higher Education’s initiative to include higher education faculty in the NAT awards is a testament to its commitment to fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement in the educational landscape.
