82 teachers and educators selected for National Teachers Awards from three departments; PM urges teachers to watch for signs of drug abuse and excessive screen use among students
New Delhi/Srinagar, Sep 5 (BuzzBytes): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday lauded the significant contribution of teachers to society on the occasion of Teachers’ Day and paid tribute to former President and eminent educationist Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan.
In a post on X, Modi said Teachers’ Day was an occasion to appreciate the “strong contribution” of teachers to society and pay homage to Dr Radhakrishnan. The Prime Minister also shared glimpses of his interaction with the recipients of the National Teachers’ Awards at 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, saying the meeting with the award-winning teachers was an opportunity to recognise their contribution beyond the classroom.
This year, 82 teachers and educators have been selected for the National Teachers Awards from three departments — 48 teachers from the Department of School Education and Literacy, 21 teachers and faculty members from Higher Educational Institutions and Polytechnics, and 13 skill trainers from the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. During the interaction, the Prime Minister emphasised that teachers need to look beyond the academic performance of children and be attentive to their behaviour and everyday lives. Referring to the reduction in the traditional joint family set-up, he said teachers have an increasingly important role to play in the lives of children.
Referring to the issue of drugs, the Prime Minister called upon teachers to remain alert to changes in children, identify the cause and help such children overcome the habit. He said preserving the innocence of childhood is an important role a teacher can play, and that if teachers nurture and appropriately channelise children’s natural curiosity, they can make a significant contribution to their development. Highlighting the issue of screen time, he said it has become a major concern, and urged teachers to speak to parents about how much time their children spend on screens and whether they continue using mobile phones late at night, suggesting that children could gradually move away from excessive screen use by developing an interest in sports, physical games and creative activities.
In Jammu and Kashmir, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah extended greetings to the teaching community on Teachers’ Day. In his message, Sinha congratulated teachers and paid homage to Dr Radhakrishnan on his birth anniversary, saying the eminent educationist’s exemplary life and visionary contributions continued to inspire generations. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also extended warm greetings to the teaching community and appreciated the dedication, hard work and selfless service of teachers in nurturing young minds and shaping the future of the country, reaffirming the government’s commitment to further strengthening the education system and creating a conducive environment for teachers.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir government has approved awards for 20 teachers for their outstanding contribution to the field of education on Teachers’ Day. According to Government Order No. 362-JK(Edu) of 2026, issued on September 3 by Commissioner-Secretary, School Education Department, Ram Niwas Sharma, IAS, 20 teachers have been selected for the awards, of whom 10 belong to the Kashmir Division and 10 to the Jammu Division, recognising their distinguished services and contribution towards the development of education in Jammu and Kashmir—(BuzzBytes)
