New Delhi: The government has invited nominations for the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2026, a national honour for children aged 5 to 18, with 31 July set as the last date for submission.
In a statement, the Ministry of Women and Child Development said the award recognises exceptional achievements by children in bravery, social service, environment, sports, art and culture, and science and technology, and celebrates their "exceptional resilience, courage, creativity, and indomitable spirit".
The ministry said the award will be conferred by the President at a special ceremony in New Delhi on 26 December(Veer Bal Diwas).
"The award serves to encourage and inspire young talent by acknowledging their contributions at the national level and motivating others to strive for excellence," it said.
According to the statement, children nominated for the award must be Indian citizens and residents of India, between 5 and 18 years of age as on 31 July 2026, and should not be previous recipients of the award in any category.
The act, incident or achievement must have occurred within two years of the nomination deadline of 31 July 2026, it added.
The award comprises a medal, a certificate and a citation and is a tribute to the "resilience, courage, creativity, and indomitable spirit of India's young changemakers", the ministry said.
Around 25 awards are conferred for exceptional bravery and excellence in the six fields. Since its inception in 2019, 203 children have received the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, according to the statement.
The ministry said nominations can be made by any individual or institution, and children may also apply through self-nomination. Recommendations are also invited from central ministers, chief ministers, governors, lieutenant governors, MPs, ministries, state and UT governments, district magistrates and educational institutions.
Applicants have been asked to submit their entries on awards.gov.in along with personal details, award category, recent photograph, supporting documents, and a brief description of the achievement and its outcome in not more than 1,000 words.