Teachers’ Day: Delhi CM honours 118 teachers, calls for students’ safety

On Teachers’ Day, chief minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday honoured 118 teachers for their outstanding contributions to education across different fields, while also reiterating their responsibility to ensure students’ safety

On Teachers’ Day, chief minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday honoured 118 teachers for their outstanding contributions to education across different fields, while also reiterating their responsibility to ensure students’ safety.

Delhi CM Rekha Gupta and other ministers at a Teachers’ Day event at Thyagraj Stadium in INA on Saturday. (Sonu Mehta/HT Photo)

Addressing the “Shikshak Mahakumbh – State Teachers Awards 2026” at the Thyagraj Stadium, Gupta said teachers have a role beyond imparting textbook knowledge; they shape children’s values, confidence and skills.

“Students are the heritage of society and their safety, education and future were a shared responsibility,” she said, urging teachers to make children aware of the concept of “good touch and bad touch”.

The awardees included 20 heads of schools and 69 teachers from Directorate of Education (DoE) and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) schools, along with teachers from three CM Shri Schools. Librarians, special educators and sports teachers who had made notable contributions were also recognised.

Gupta said teachers should also inculcate values of cleanliness, environmental awareness, discipline, sensitivity, respect for rules and a willingness to help others among students. She appealed to them to help bring children, who are out of school, into the education system.

The chief minister said the Delhi government has allocated ₹19,148 crore for education in 2026-27 and is strengthening technology-based learning. As many as 170 modern language labs are being established in government schools — 70 in CM Shri Schools and 100 in other schools.

Education minister Ashish Sood said the recruitment process for 10,417 teachers has been initiated to address shortages. The government has also made provision for 613 special teachers, aimed at providing better support to students with special needs.

Sood said the government was working to resolve teachers’ administrative, HR and service-related issues, including those concerning guest teachers, with most issues to be resolved by next year.

Gupta said teachers and schools would play a crucial role in preparing students to contribute to “Viksit Bharat 2047” and “Viksit Delhi”.