India's Best
Teachers'
Awards 2027
Celebrating those who inspire. A national recognition for outstanding teachers of Grades IX–XII, across eight subjects, with a learning journey that ends at Oxford.
Changemakers
Everything about the awards on one page: why they exist, who can be nominated, how teachers are judged, what winners receive, and the sixteen teachers who won the inaugural edition.
Honouringteachers.Empoweringfutures.
India's Best Teachers' Awards is a national initiative by the Shiv Nadar Foundation and Saïd Business School, University of Oxford. It recognises high-school teachers whose classrooms are genuinely different because they are in them, and connects that recognition to continued learning.
National
recognition
Inspiring teachers creating meaningful, lasting impact in classrooms and communities across India.
Excellence
in teaching
Innovative practice, leadership, creativity and commitment to every learner, judged on evidence.
Global
partnership
The Foundation's on-ground experience in Indian education, with Oxford Saïd's expertise in leadership and pedagogy.
Registrations
States & Union Territories
Finalists before the jury
National winners
National finale: 4 September 2026, Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR.
Teachers changeeverything.
Eight subjects.Sixteen awards.
In each subject, one public-school teacher and one private-school teacher are named national winners. Teachers from government and private schools, across central and state boards, are eligible.
Practice overpaperwork
The selection prioritises the quality and impact of classroom practice, not academic qualifications or length of service. Each subject has its own rubric; these parameters run through all of them.
- 01Conceptual accuracy
- 02Classroom methodology
- 03Assessment & feedback
- 04Inclusion
- 05Student engagement
- 06Evidence of learning outcomes
- 07Replicability across settings
Business Studies & Entrepreneurship+
- Case or venture briefDecision-centred scenario with success criteria
- Concept accuracyCorrect business concepts applied in context
- Analysis & reasoningStructured frameworks support decisions
- Customer & market insightResearch informs choices
- Financial feasibilityBudgeting and feasibility checks are sound
- Ethics & responsibilityStakeholder impacts shape decisions
- Communication & pitchingClear, evidenced pitches and writing
- TeamworkRoles, inclusion and shared accountability
Computer Science+
- Problem statementClear computational problem with success criteria
- …and moreFull rubric on the official awards page
Economics+
- India contextReal issues deepen understanding, non-partisan and evidence-based
- …and moreFull rubric on the official awards page
English+
- Purpose & audienceClear purpose, audience and success criteria
- …and moreFull rubric on the official awards page
Geography+
- Enquiry focusClear geographic enquiry question with explicit success criteria
- …and moreFull rubric on the official awards page
Environmental Science · Mathematics · Physics+
- Shared parametersAssessment and feedback through competency-based rubrics; outcomes and replicability, with evidence of learning gains and a shareable model
- …and moreFull subject rubrics on the official awards page
From your classroomto Oxford.
Recognitionthat keepsteaching
Professional development is at the centre of the awards. Recognition is the start of the journey, not the end of it.
5-week online
programme
A professional development programme that brings winners together for focused learning and peer exchange.
One fully funded
week at Oxford
A bespoke, in-person residential programme at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, on pedagogy, leadership and educational practice.
- 01 MayEntries open
- 31 JulEntries close
- 79Finalists shortlisted
- 04 SepNational finale, Delhi-NCR
- 16Winners named
- 5 wksOnline programme
- OxfordResidential week
Sixteenteachers
Selected from schools across India, representing outstanding practice in eight subject areas.
Why
teachers
matter
Know a teacherwho changed lives?
Who can benominated
Rules below are from the 2026 edition. The 2027 guidelines will be published when nominations open.
In any of the eight subject categories.
Government and private schools, central and state boards.
A head of school or principal nominates one teacher per subject category.
Subject-specific juries of academics from the University of Oxford, leading Indian institutions and the wider education sector. Named jurors in 2026 included:
- Dr Juliana Dresvina
- Dr Jennifer Chang Wathall
- Carrie Lomas
- Frances Lloyd
- Manos Kapterian
- Pinar Ozcan
- Dr John Ingram
- Dr Mahesh Prasad
- Abha Adams
- Mallika P. Tagore
Foundation
Established in 1994 by Shiv Nadar, founder of HCL. Works through "creative philanthropy" to build a more equitable, merit-based society through transformational education.
Saïd Business School, University of Oxford brings global expertise in leadership and pedagogy, and hosts the winners' residential programme.
Press
Supports the initiative through national outreach and academic inputs towards areas such as evaluation criteria.
FAQ
Who organises the awards?+
The Shiv Nadar Foundation and Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, as a joint national initiative.
Which teachers are eligible?+
Teachers of Grades IX–XII in Business Studies & Entrepreneurship, Computer Science, Economics, English, Environmental Science, Geography, Mathematics or Physics, from government and private schools on central and state boards.
How are teachers nominated?+
In 2026, a head of school or principal could nominate one teacher per subject category.
How are winners chosen?+
Through a multi-stage evaluation. Shortlisted finalists present their teaching practice and evidence of student impact to subject-specific juries at a national finale.
What do winners receive?+
National recognition, a 5-week online professional development programme, and a fully funded one-week residential programme at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.
When does the 2027 edition open?+
Dates will be announced. Leave your email below to hear first.