AI SummaryBharat Steel Awards 2026 replaces the older National Metallurgist Award scheme of Ministry of Steel. The Ministry has discontinued the National Metallurgist Awards (NMA) and brought in a new award called Bharat Steel Awards to honour excellence in the Indian steel sector.
Nominations for Bharat Steel Award 2026 are invited through the National Awards portal at awards.gov.in. Awards are given to steel companies, teams and individual professionals for their work in the steel sector. The scheme covers 12 awards in all across Company, Team and Individual categories.
Bharat Steel Awards 2026 - Introduction
The Ministry of Steel used to give the National Metallurgist Awards every year to recognise the outstanding work of metallurgists in operations, research, design, education, waste management and energy conservation. In 2026 the Ministry broadened the scope of these awards and started a new scheme with a new name, Bharat Steel Awards, to make the recognition more relevant for the whole steel sector.
As per the Bharat Steel Award Guidelines issued in January 2026, the new scheme rewards organisations and individuals for strong performance in areas like efficiency, export, sustainability, safety, indigenisation and new research and development. The awards are given to large steel producers with capacity above 1 million tonnes per year and secondary steel producers with capacity below 1 million tonnes per year.
The Company and Team awards honour leadership in operational efficiency, export growth, safety, sustainability and indigenisation. A separate Individual award, the Exceptional Contribution in Steel Sector Award, is given to a professional whose work has helped the Indian steel industry in a big way.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scheme Name | Bharat Steel Awards |
| Ministry | Ministry of Steel |
| Old Scheme | National Metallurgist Award (discontinued) |
| Beneficiaries | Steel companies, teams and individual professionals |
| Total Awards | 12 |
| Total Prize Money | ₹5,00,000 |
| Application Mode | Online |
| Official Website | awards.steel.gov.in |
Benefits
The award is presented in the form of a Certificate, a Trophy and a Cash prize. Cash prize is given only to secondary steel producers and to the individual category, not to large steel producers. The main benefits are:
- Exceptional Contribution in Steel Sector Award: Cash prize of ₹3,00,000 with Certificate and Trophy for an individual professional.
- Efficiency Award: Cash prize of ₹1,00,000 for secondary steel producers, along with Certificate and Trophy.
- Innovation through R&D Award: Cash prize of ₹1,00,000 for secondary steel producers, along with Certificate and Trophy.
- Other Company and Team Awards: Certificate and Trophy for export, sustainability, safety and indigenisation categories.
Eligibility
Eligibility depends on whether a company, team or an individual is applying. Companies and teams must be Indian steel producers, either public sector or private. The two groups are large producers with output above 1 million tonnes per year and secondary producers with output below 1 million tonnes per year.
- Company and Team Awards: Open to any Indian steel company or group of companies, whether PSU or private, that meets the large or secondary producer capacity limit.
- Exceptional Contribution in Steel Sector Award: Open to any citizen of India who holds a Bachelor's degree in Metallurgical Engineering, Materials Science or an equivalent subject. Age must be between 25 and 60 years, and the contribution must have been made in the last 10 years.
Application Process
Online Nomination
Nominations are accepted only through the National Awards portal at awards.gov.in. The time and date for receiving nominations is announced when the nominations are invited for the year.
STEP 1 - Go to the official National Awards website at awards.gov.in and click on the registration button on the homepage. First time applicants need to create an account using their Aadhaar details.
STEP 2 - Choose the profile type, either an Organisation profile for companies and teams or an Individual profile for single professionals.
STEP 3 - Log in through the applicant login portal with the registered details and navigate to the Bharat Steel Awards section.
STEP 4 - Fill the nomination form in the prescribed format and submit it along with the supporting documents before the last date. Nominations in any other format or applications received after the date are rejected without further reference.
Documents
Keep the following documents ready before you start the online nomination:
- Valid proof of age and identity for individual applicants.
- Bachelor's degree certificate in Metallurgical Engineering or Materials Science.
- Details of work done in the steel sector in the last 10 years.
- Supporting project reports, research papers, patents or performance records.
- A declaration that the information provided is correct and the work was done in India.
References
FAQ's
What happened to the National Metallurgist Award?
The Ministry of Steel has discontinued the National Metallurgist Award scheme and replaced it with a new award named Bharat Steel Awards, which has a wider scope for the steel sector.
Who can apply for the individual award?
Any citizen of India with a Bachelor's degree in Metallurgical Engineering or Materials Science, aged between 25 and 60 years, who has made a significant contribution to the steel sector in the last 10 years can apply.
Is there any cash prize for the awards?
Yes. The Exceptional Contribution award carries ₹3,00,000, while the Efficiency and Innovation through R&D awards carry ₹1,00,000 each, but only for secondary steel producers. Other awards come with a Certificate and Trophy.
How are winners selected?
A Screening Committee of Experts checks the applications. After that, the Award Making Authority, headed by the Secretary of the Ministry of Steel, evaluates the merit and finalises the winners.