Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Mar 28: The Government of India has invited nominations for the prestigious Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar (RVP) 2026, a prestigious nationwide initiative to acknowledge excellent contributions within the fields of Science, Technology, and Innovation. The awards are administered by the RVP Secretariat, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Ministry of Science & Technology, beneath the chairmanship of the Principal Scientific Advisor to the GOI.
The official announcement was made right here in the present day by Union Minister for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh.
The Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar honours scientists, technologists, and innovators whose work has considerably superior India’s scientific panorama and contributed to nationwide growth. Nominations, together with self-nominations, are open throughout a variety of domains, together with Agricultural Science, Atomic Energy, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Defence Technology, Earth Science, Engineering Sciences, Environmental Science, Mathematics & Computer Science, Medicine, Physics, Space Science and Technology, Technology & Innovation and Others.
The RVP-2026 awards shall be offered in 4 distinct classes: Vigyan Ratna (VR): Recognizing lifetime achievements in science and expertise; Vigyan Shri (VS): Acknowledging distinguished contributions to the sector; Vigyan Yuva-Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (VY-SSB): Encouraging younger scientists (as much as 45 years of age) who’ve proven distinctive promise; Vigyan Team (VT): Awarded to groups of three or extra researchers for collaborative excellence.
Nominations, together with self-nominations, are open on-line through the Ministry of Home Affairs Awards Portal (https://awards.gov.in) from 28 March 2026 to 11 May 2026.
Dr. Jitendra Singh, said that “The Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar reflects the Government’s unwavering commitment to fostering excellence in science, technology, and innovation. These awards celebrate the spirit of inquiry and dedication of our scientists and innovators who are driving India’s transformation into a global knowledge leader. I encourage institutions, peers, and individuals to actively participate in nominating deserving candidates whose work inspires the nation and contributes to societal progress.”
Speaking on the launch, Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, emphasised the significance of those awards in fuelling India’s scientific ecosystem.
“The Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar is not just an award, but a testament to our nation’s commitment to fostering a culture of excellence and innovation,” stated Dr. Jitendra Singh. “As we strive towards a ‘Viksit Bharat,’ we must recognize the tireless efforts of our researchers and technologists who are solving global challenges through local ingenuity. These awards span 14 diverse domains-from Space Science to Agricultural Science-ensuring that every field of impactful research is celebrated.”