Himachal Pradesh to Launch State Awards for Distinguished Teachers in Technical Education.
Ten Prestigious Awards to be Presented Annually on Teachers’ Day.
Shimla:
The Himachal Pradesh government has announced the introduction of a new State Award scheme to honor distinguished teachers in the field of Technical Education. On the instructions of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, the scheme aims to recognize and celebrate the exceptional contributions, innovation, and dedication of teachers within the state’s Technical Education sector.
The scheme will see the presentation of up to ten awards each year, across six distinct categories. These include:
- Best Teacher Award (ITIs level) – Three awards
- Research Excellence & Innovation Award (Degree level) – Two awards
- Industry Collaboration Award (Polytechnics and ITIs) – Two awards
- Best Teacher (Polytechnics level) – One award
- Best Teacher (Pharmacy College level) – One award
- Best Teacher (Engineering College level) – One award
The annual presentation of these awards will take place on Teachers’ Day, September 5th, with the Governor of Himachal Pradesh presiding over the ceremony. The recipients will be honored with a range of accolades, including a medal, Himachali cap or scarf, shawl, books, memento, certificate of recognition, and a citation.
The initiative is part of the state’s broader vision to encourage excellence and innovation within the Technical Education sector and to further the development of a highly skilled workforce. Recognizing the significant role educators play in shaping the future of students, the awards will highlight achievements in several areas, including teaching, mentorship, institutional development, research, and innovation.
Eligibility for the awards will be based on several key criteria, including:
- Academic excellence
- Research output
- Innovative instructional methods
- Development of instructional content and curriculum
- Guidance of student projects
- Research publications
- Patents and creation of tools, devices, or software applications
Teachers will also be assessed on their contributions to areas such as academic innovation, industry collaboration, patent filings, and student placements.
The selection process will involve a rigorous multi-tiered evaluation. Initially, a committee of experts nominated by the Technical Education Department will screen the nominations received from educational institutions. A high-level committee, chaired by the Director of Technical Education, will review the nominees and make recommendations, with the final selection being made by the state selection committee under the chairmanship of the Secretary.
Notably, the award will be conferred only once in a teacher’s career. Teachers who have retired or those facing disciplinary action will not be eligible for consideration. Only serving teachers, up until April 30th of the award year, will be eligible.
The scheme will cover all government-run institutions, including five Engineering colleges, five Pharmacy colleges, 17 Polytechnics, and 153 Industrial Training Institutes in the state. Additionally, there are 180 private institutions offering technical education across Himachal Pradesh, all of which are eligible to nominate their outstanding educators for the awards.
This initiative underscores the government’s commitment to improving the quality of technical education in Himachal Pradesh and further strengthening the role of educators in shaping the state’s future workforce.
