President of India Droupadi Murmu conferred National Awards on teachers from across the country at a function held in New Delhi on September 5, 2026, coinciding with Teachers' Day. During the ceremony, the President emphasized that education represents the most effective means of realizing the constitutional ideal of equality of opportunity, attributing India's achievement of a negligible primary school dropout rate to the efforts of teachers.
The President highlighted that school education forms the foundation of the education system, noting that while knowledge and skills can be acquired at any time, imparting lessons in good conduct during childhood proves far more effective. She stated that by focusing on the intellectual, physical, and moral development of children in early grades, teachers can prepare future generations of excellent students and dutiful citizens.
President Murmu specifically addressed the challenges faced by diverse student populations, including those from economically disadvantaged families, first-generation learners, students transitioning from village to city schools, shy students, talented but underconfident students, and children with special needs. She emphasized the special responsibility of teachers to instill confidence in these students and uplift those who feel a sense of inadequacy.
The President underscored the immense importance of academic excellence, skill development, and entrepreneurship in the country's development, identifying the establishment of India as the skill capital of the world and its transformation into a knowledge superpower as among national priorities. She stated that the goal of building a Viksit Bharat can only be achieved through a world-class education system, with teachers playing a central role in breathing life into this system. The President emphasized ensuring that no student is deprived of quality education opportunities and that teachers should instill knowledge, inspiration, morality, and sensitivity in all students through affection and dedication.