National Teachers' Awards 2026 – Registration Extended till 17 July 2026

Every teacher has a story worth sharing. Every classroom innovation has the potential to transform education. Do not hesitate to apply because you think your work is too small. It is your dedication, impact, and commitment to students that truly matter. Let the nation know your contribution.

Appeal to All Teachers of Uttarakhand & India

National Teachers' Awards 2026 – Registration Extended till 17 July 2026

Dear Fellow Teachers,

I am delighted to share that the Ministry of Education, Government of India has extended the registration deadline for the National Teachers' Awards 2026 up to 17 July 2026. This is a valuable opportunity for every dedicated teacher to present their work and innovations at the national level.

As a National ICT Awardee (2019), I have experienced how national recognition not only honors an individual teacher but also showcases the remarkable work being done in our schools, communities, and states. Every innovative classroom practice, every community initiative, every digital transformation, and every effort to improve student learning deserves to be documented and shared.

Today, teachers across Uttarakhand and India are leading extraordinary initiatives in:

Innovative Teaching and Learning Practices

ICT and Artificial Intelligence in Education

Community Engagement and Social Impact

Global Collaborations and International Recognition

Foundational Literacy & Numeracy

Inclusive and Experiential Learning

STEM, Innovation and Research

Digital Education and MOOCs

If you have made a positive impact on the lives of your students and your community, this award is your opportunity to tell your story.

Register Now

National Teachers' Awards 2026 Portal:

https://nationalawardstoteachers.education.gov.in/

Last Date for Registration: 17 July 2026 (Extended)

Uttarakhand Brings Global Recognition to India at the AI for Education Awards 2026

 

GLOBAL RECOGNITION FOR INDIA & UTTARAKHAND

SCERT Uttarakhand’s AI-Enabled Teacher Training Initiative Recognised Among the World’s Top Six

“Building Future-Ready Teachers through AI and ICT Enabled MOOCs”

Global Top 6 Finalist in the Teacher Training Award Category at AI for Education Awards 2026

Geneva, Switzerland | AI for Good Global Summit 2026

In a historic and proud moment for India, Uttarakhand and the entire school education community, the results of the AI for Education Awards 2026 have been officially declared during the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva, Switzerland. Among outstanding projects from 47 countries across six continents, SCERT Uttarakhand’s flagship initiative, “Building Future-Ready Teachers through AI and ICT Enabled MOOCs”, has been recognised as a Global Top 6 Finalist in the prestigious Teacher Training Award category.

Global Winners Announced

The Global Competition officially concluded in Geneva with the announcement of three Laureates and fifteen Finalists across three major award categories: Teacher Innovation, Student Innovation and Teacher Training. These selected projects represent some of the most responsible, inspiring and human-centred applications of Artificial Intelligence in K–12 education worldwide.

🏆 Teacher Innovation Award: “XD Educational Ecosystem: AI-Powered Personalised Learning for K–12 Montessori Education” from Chile.

🏆 Student Innovation Award: “Intelligent Drainage Monitor” from Malaysia.

🏆 Teacher Training Award: “Kitso Learning Chatbot” from South Africa, developed by Qhakaza Mbali Mthembu and the Digify Africa team.

SCERT Uttarakhand warmly congratulates all the Laureates, Finalists and Official Participants for contributing to the growing global movement for responsible and human-centred AI in education from 47 countries and 38000 projects in tough jury competition.

A Grand Achievement for India and Uttarakhand

The selection of SCERT Uttarakhand’s project among the world’s top teacher training innovations is a landmark achievement for India’s school education system. It reflects the country’s growing strength in digital innovation, teacher capacity building and the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence in education.

For Uttarakhand, this recognition is especially significant. It demonstrates how a Himalayan state can build a large-scale, inclusive and technology-enabled professional learning model capable of reaching teachers across difficult geographical regions. The project has brought global visibility to Uttarakhand School Education, SCERT Uttarakhand and the collective commitment of its teachers.

Why this achievement is important:

• It places Uttarakhand among globally recognised innovators in teacher professional development.
• It highlights India’s leadership in responsible and scalable AI integration in education.
• It validates the power of MOOCs for statewide capacity building.
• It recognises the collective work of teachers, faculty, technical teams and educational leaders.
• It opens new opportunities for global knowledge sharing and collaboration.

The MOOCs Journey: From Digital Literacy to AI Readiness

MOOC 1.0 – Fundamentals of ICT Tools
The first phase focused on strengthening teachers’ foundational ICT competencies, digital literacy, e-content creation and effective use of technology in classroom teaching.

MOOC 2.0 – AI-Enabled Teaching-Learning and School Administration
Building on the first phase, MOOC 2.0 introduced educators to Artificial Intelligence, AI-enabled lesson planning, assessment, productivity tools, digital ethics and school administration. More than 49,000 teachers participated in this large-scale professional development initiative.

MOOC 3.0 – Advanced Future-Ready Teacher Development
The third phase includes specialised learning in AI productivity, AI-assisted lesson planning, multimedia and educational video creation, cybersecurity, coding, educational game development and AI-assisted research writing.

Collective Leadership and Team Contribution

The project was developed under the academic leadership of Smt. Bandana Garbyal, Director, Academic Research and Training, SCERT Uttarakhand, with Shri Ramesh Prasad Badoni, Faculty, IT Department, contributing significantly to the project’s conceptualisation, AI integration, instructional design, course development, implementation and digital capacity building.

This recognition belongs equally to the dedicated MOOCs development team, technical team, instructional designers, multimedia experts, content developers, reviewers, academic coordinators, mentors and support staff who worked continuously to make the initiative effective and scalable.

Contribution of Teachers, SCERT and DIET Faculty

The success of the project was made possible by the enthusiastic participation of teachers from elementary, upper-primary, secondary and senior-secondary schools. Their commitment to continuous learning, feedback and willingness to embrace new technologies transformed the MOOCs into a statewide professional learning movement.

SCERT Uttarakhand also acknowledges the valuable role of faculty members of SCERT Uttarakhand and all 13 District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs), along with district and block education teams, in course facilitation, academic support, mentoring, monitoring and implementation.

Visionary Government Support

SCERT Uttarakhand expresses its sincere gratitude to Shri Ravinath Raman, IAS, Secretary, School Education, Government of Uttarakhand, for his visionary guidance and continuous support for digital transformation and teacher capacity building.

Special appreciation is extended to Smt. Akanksha Konde, IAS, Director General, School Education, Uttarakhand, whose leadership has consistently encouraged innovation, quality improvement and technology integration across the education system.

Heartfelt thanks are also conveyed to Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat, Hon’ble Minister for School Education, Uttarakhand, for his continuous encouragement for teacher empowerment, digital education and future-oriented reforms.

SCERT Uttarakhand further acknowledges the visionary leadership of  Pushkar Singh Dhami,, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, whose commitment to digital governance, innovation and technology-enabled education has created a supportive environment for transformative educational initiatives in the state.

The institution also expresses its gratitude to Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose national vision through Digital India, the National Education Policy 2020 and the growing emphasis on Artificial Intelligence has inspired institutions across the country to prepare future-ready citizens.

Technical Support from Vidya Samiksha Kendra

The successful implementation of the initiative was further strengthened by the invaluable technical support of Vidya Samiksha Kendra (VSK), Uttarakhand. Through the innovative e-Srijan Bot, teachers received timely notifications, registration assistance, course guidance, progress tracking and prompt technical support, ensuring a smooth and user-friendly learning experience. The digital infrastructure, real-time monitoring, analytics and dedicated technical expertise of the VSK team played a vital role in reaching thousands of teachers across the state.

National Academic and Technical Collaboration

SCERT Uttarakhand gratefully acknowledges the continuous academic and technical support received from CIET–NCERT, NCERT and their dedicated teams. Their guidance in digital education, e-content development, teacher training, platform readiness and technology integration has significantly strengthened the state’s professional development initiatives.

The Journey Continues

The conclusion of the competition marks the beginning of a new chapter. From 1 September 2026, the AI for Education Awards Empowerment Programme will provide a global platform through masterclasses and an e-book, enabling Laureates, Finalists and selected Official Participants to share their best practices with educators around the world.

As a Global Finalist, SCERT Uttarakhand’s AI and ICT-enabled MOOCs initiative will continue contributing to international dialogue on responsible, inclusive and human-centred Artificial Intelligence in education.

“This achievement belongs to every teacher, every academic leader, every technical contributor and every institution that believed in the power of continuous professional learning.”

A Proud Milestone for India and Uttarakhand

Together, we are building future-ready teachers who will inspire future-ready learners and contribute to a stronger, more innovative and digitally empowered India.

#AI4EDU26 #AIForEducation #TeacherTraining #FutureReadyTeachers #MOOCs #SCERTUttarakhand #UttarakhandSchoolEducation #AIinEducation #DigitalLearning #ResponsibleAI #TeacherProfessionalDevelopment #India #Uttarakhand

SCERT Uttarakhand’s AI-Enabled Teacher Training Initiative Recognised Among the World’s Top Six

Global Finalist in the Teacher Training Award Category at the AI for Education Awards 2026

Dehradun, Uttarakhand | July 2026

In a moment of immense pride for Uttarakhand and India, the project “Building Future-Ready Teachers through AI and ICT Enabled MOOCs” has been recognised as a Global Top 6 Finalist in the Teacher Training Award category of the prestigious AI for Education Awards 2026 (AI4EDU26).

The recognition was announced during the AI for Good Global Summit in Geneva, Switzerland. The international competition brought together innovative educational initiatives from 47 countries across six continents and 38,000 projects, making this achievement a remarkable milestone for the school education system of Uttarakhand and India.

Transforming Teacher Professional Development through AI

The recognised project represents the vision of SCERT Uttarakhand to build a scalable, inclusive and sustainable professional learning ecosystem for teachers. It integrates Artificial Intelligence, Information and Communication Technology, Massive Open Online Courses, digital learning resources, interactive assessments and self-paced learning opportunities.

Through these MOOCs, thousands of teachers have strengthened their digital competencies, developed confidence in the responsible use of AI and learned to design more engaging, inclusive and learner-centred classroom experiences. The initiative views AI not merely as a technology, but as a tool for supporting ethical, reflective and meaningful teaching practices.

A Collective Achievement

This global recognition reflects the collective efforts of the School Education Department, Government of Uttarakhand, under the academic leadership of SCERT Uttarakhand.

The project was developed and implemented through the leadership and contribution of Bandana Garbyal, Director, Academic Research and Training, and  Ramesh Prasad Badoni, Faculty, IT Department, SCERT Uttarakhand, along with the dedicated MOOCs team, technical team, content developers, reviewers and academic contributors.

MOOCs Development Team: Course planning, scripting, review, assessment and implementation.

Technical Team: Platform support, digital delivery, multimedia production and troubleshooting.

SCERT and DIET Faculty: Academic inputs, mentoring, quality assurance, monitoring and field support.

Teachers of Uttarakhand: Active participation from elementary to secondary and senior secondary levels.

Leadership and Institutional Support

We express thanks to Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, whose visionary initiatives such as Digital India, AI for All, the National Education Policy 2020, and the national focus on Artificial Intelligence have laid a strong foundation for building a digitally empowered education ecosystem. His vision of nurturing innovation, technology, and AI-enabled learning continues to inspire educators across the country to prepare future-ready citizens capable of contributing to a knowledge-driven and self-reliant India. We also express our sincere gratitude to Shri Pushkar Singh Dhami, Hon'ble Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, whose visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to digital governance, innovation, and technology-enabled education have created an enabling ecosystem for transformative educational initiatives in the state. His emphasis on preparing youth with future-ready skills has inspired institutions to adopt cutting-edge technologies for quality education. 

SCERT also conveys its heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat, Hon’ble Minister for School Education, Uttarakhand, for his continuous support for teacher empowerment, digital learning and future-oriented educational initiatives.

SCERT Uttarakhand expresses its sincere gratitude to  Ravinath Raman, IAS, Secretary, School Education, Government of Uttarakhand, for his visionary guidance and continued encouragement for digital transformation and teacher capacity building.

Special thanks are extended to  Akanksha Konde, IAS, Director General, School Education, Uttarakhand, whose leadership has consistently encouraged innovation, quality improvement and the meaningful integration of technology in education.

At the same time we can't forget to thank Jharna Kamthan, IAS, previous Director General, School Education, whose support has consistently encouraged MOOCs in meaningful education.

Gratitude to Teachers, Faculty and Support Teams

This achievement belongs to every teacher who embraced lifelong learning and completed the online courses with dedication. The enthusiasm, feedback and willingness of teachers from elementary, upper-primary, secondary and senior-secondary schools gave the project its true strength and purpose.

Heartfelt appreciation is also extended to Additional Director Padmendra Saklani, Assistant Director Dr K N Bijalwan, the faculty members of SCERT Uttarakhand, all 13 District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs), district and block education teams, academic coordinators, course writers, reviewers, video experts, resource persons, instructional designers, multimedia professionals and technical support personnel.

The successful implementation of this initiative was further strengthened by the invaluable technical support provided by the Vidya Samiksha Kendra (VSK), Uttarakhand. Through the innovative e-Srijan Bot, teachers received timely notifications, registration assistance, course guidance, progress tracking, and prompt technical support, ensuring a seamless and user-friendly learning experience throughout the MOOCs.

Their combined efforts transformed an innovative idea into a state-wide professional learning movement capable of reaching educators across varied geographical and institutional contexts.

Valuable National Collaboration

SCERT Uttarakhand gratefully acknowledges the continuous academic and technical support received from CIET–NCERT, NCERT and their dedicated teams. Their guidance in digital education, e-content development, teacher training, platform readiness and technology integration has strengthened Uttarakhand’s capacity-building initiatives over the years.

The support of national institutions and partner organisations has helped align the project with the goals of the National Education Policy 2020, Digital India and the broader vision of equitable, technology-enabled quality education.

Looking Ahead

Recognition among the world’s top teacher-training innovations is not only an honour but also a responsibility. SCERT Uttarakhand remains committed to expanding AI-enabled professional learning, developing next-generation MOOCs, strengthening digital pedagogy and supporting teachers with innovative resources for an AI-driven future.

This milestone demonstrates that teacher-centred, scalable and inclusive innovations developed in Uttarakhand can make a meaningful contribution to the global education community.

“Empowered teachers build empowered nations. Through AI-enabled professional learning, we are preparing educators who will inspire the next generation of learners.”

#AI4EDU26 #AIForEducation #TeacherTraining #FutureReadyTeachers #MOOCs #SCERTUttarakhand #AIinEducation #DigitalLearning #ResponsibleAI #TeacherProfessionalDevelopment #Uttarakhand #India