UGC Notifies About Nominations for Padma Awards 2025: Submit Recommendations by July 31

 

UGC Notifies About Nominations for Padma Awards 2025: Submit Recommendations by July 31

All Higher Educational Institutions Urged to Participate in the Nomination Process

New Delhi, April 10, 2025:
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued a public notice inviting online nominations and recommendations for the prestigious Padma Awards 2025. All Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) across India have been advised to submit their nominations by July 31, 2025, through the official Rashtriya Puraskar portal – https://awards.gov.in.

About the Padma Awards

Instituted in 1954, the Padma Awards – namely Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri – are among the highest civilian honors in India. These awards are presented every year on Republic Day (January 26) to recognize exceptional and distinguished service across diverse fields such as Art, Literature and Education, Sports, Medicine, Science and Engineering, Social Work, Public Affairs, Civil Service, Trade and Industry, among others.

Key Guidelines for Nominations

• Submission Mode: Nominations/recommendations will be accepted only online via the awards portal.
• Last Date: Recommendations must be submitted by July 31, 2025.
• Citation Requirement: The nomination must include a citation of not more than 800 words, detailing the nominee’s life-long achievements and contributions in narrative form.
• Eligibility: The awards are open to all Indian citizens, regardless of race, occupation, position, or gender. However, Government servants (except doctors and scientists) are not eligible.

Important Considerations

• Nominees must be pre-eminently worthy and demonstrate ‘excellence plus’ in their respective field.
• Preference should be given to first-time awardees and those from underrepresented groups, including women, SCs, STs, and weaker sections of society.
• Posthumous awards are generally not encouraged but may be considered in highly deserving recent cases (within one year of the upcoming Republic Day).
• If a nominee has previously received a Padma award, a gap of five years is required before being considered for a higher category—though exceptions may apply in extraordinary cases.

Encouragement for HEIs to Identify Talent

The UGC has encouraged academic institutions to actively identify and recommend individuals whose contributions in their respective disciplines deserve national recognition. Institutions are advised to ensure that all relevant details and supporting documents are accurately submitted.

For further details and nomination formats, institutions and individuals are requested to visit the official awards.gov.in portal.