The inaugural Shiv Nadar Foundation–Oxford Saïd India’s Best Teachers’ Awards 2026 has shortlisted 79 schoolteachers for its national finals, recognising educators who have demonstrated excellence in teaching, innovative classroom practices and meaningful impact on students. The finalists were selected from more than 9,400 registrations received from 32 States and Union Territories across India.
The national finals will be held on September 4, 2026, at Shiv Nadar University, Delhi-NCR. Finalists will travel to Greater Noida from September 3 to 5 and compete across eight subject categories: Business Studies and Entrepreneurship, Computer Science, Economics, English, Environmental Science, Geography, Mathematics and Physics.
The awards have been established by the Shiv Nadar Foundation and Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, with the aim of recognising teachers from Classes IX to XII. Instead of focusing only on academic qualifications or years of experience, the awards assess how educators use their subject knowledge to create effective learning experiences and make a wider impact within their schools and communities.
The large number of registrations and the geographical diversity of the finalists highlight the range of teaching practices across India. Entries came from educators working in both public and private schools and from different educational environments, including metropolitan institutions as well as schools serving smaller cities and communities.
At the national finals, each shortlisted teacher will present their work before a subject-specific jury. The jury will include academics from the University of Oxford, leading Indian academics and experts from the broader education sector. Following the presentations, finalists will face questions from the jury, with the final evaluation determining the national winners.
The selection process has involved multiple stages and subject-specific judging frameworks. Judges assessed areas such as conceptual accuracy, classroom methodology, assessment and feedback, inclusion, student engagement and evidence of learning. The process also considered whether successful teaching practices could be adapted and replicated in other educational settings.
From the 79 national finalists, 16 teachers will ultimately be selected as winners, with recognition across the eight subject categories and public and private school streams.
Beyond recognition, the awards also offer winners an extensive professional-development opportunity. The 16 winning teachers will receive access to a five-week hybrid professional development programme designed to encourage continued learning and exchange of teaching practices. They will then receive a fully funded scholarship for a bespoke one-week residential learning and development programme at Saïd Business School, University of Oxford.
The Oxford programme will provide the winners with opportunities for learning, reflection and peer interaction, while connecting their classroom experiences in India with broader perspectives on educational leadership, pedagogy and change. The professional-development component reflects the initiative’s larger objective of investing in educators who can influence their colleagues, schools and communities beyond the awards.
The September 4 national finals will therefore serve not only as a competition but also as a platform for teachers from different regions and educational backgrounds to exchange ideas and showcase innovative approaches to teaching.
The initiative brings together the Shiv Nadar Foundation’s long-standing focus on education with Oxford Saïd’s expertise in learning and leadership, placing teachers at the centre of efforts to strengthen educational practice and recognise impactful teaching across India.
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