Visitor's Award

Visitor's Award recognises and promotes excellence in research, innovation and technology development for faculty members and students of central universities. Winners receive cash prizes and formal appreciation, with the total cash reward for each category set at ₹2,50,000.

The scheme works under the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education. Nominations are invited online through the official awards portal awards.gov.in, and the President of India, as Visitor of Central Universities, presents the awards during the annual conference of vice chancellors.

Visitor's Award - Introduction

Visitor's Award functions under the Department of Higher Education to encourage excellence through healthy competition. The scheme motivates faculties and students of central universities to adopt global best practices in their respective fields.

Visitor's Award features three primary categories:

1. Innovation.
2. Research, covering Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Physical Sciences and Biological Sciences.
3. Technology development.

University leadership, including the vice chancellor, dean, director or professor, should provide nominations for this recognition. A dedicated selection committee reviews all online applications and presents a panel of possible awardees to the President of India. The President, as Visitor of Central Universities, makes the final selection. The President personally presents these awards during the annual conference of vice chancellors or the visitor's conference.

Check the quick details of Visitor's Award in the table below:

Benefits

Every award winner receives a formal citation and a cash reward. The total value of the cash reward is ₹2,50,000. If a specific award category has two or more winners, each participant receives a minimum of ₹1,00,000.

Eligibility

All faculty members and students currently associated with central universities are eligible to be nominated for Visitor's Award.

Application Process

Online Application Process

Application for Visitor's Award is completed online through the official awards website. Follow these steps to apply:

STEP 1 - Go to the registration page on the official portal.

STEP 2 - Select your category as either Individual or Organization.

STEP 3 - If applying as an individual, provide your full name as per Aadhaar, date of birth, contact details and Aadhaar number.

STEP 4 - If applying as an organization, provide the authorised person's details, a short description of the organization and contact details.

STEP 5 - Login to the official portal using your credentials.

STEP 6 - Select Visitor's Award from the list of available schemes and click Nominate / Apply Now.

STEP 7 - Complete all required fields in the online application form and click Submit.

Documents

Make sure the following documents are ready before starting your application:

• A soft copy of your professional photograph (maximum 1MB).
• Soft copies of your current resume, technical reports, functional efficiency documentation and external evaluation reports in PDF format (maximum size 10MB each).
• Contact details of two referees, the vice chancellor of your university and your director, dean or professor, for online recommendation.
• A PowerPoint presentation limited to 5 slides (maximum 10MB).
• A link to your work video, if applicable.

References

Guidelines | Registration | Apply Portal

FAQ's

What is Visitor's Award?

Visitor's Award is an annual award that promotes healthy competition and academic excellence among faculty and students of central universities.

How many awards are given in each category?

There is only one award available per category or subcategory annually.

How should I apply for this award?

Apply online through the Rashtriya Puruskar Portal (awards.gov.in).

How many categories are there under Visitor's Award?

There are three main categories: Innovation, Research (subdivided into Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, Physical Sciences and Biological Sciences) and Technology Development.

Who is eligible for this scheme?

All faculty members and students of central universities are eligible to apply.

Who can nominate a candidate?

The vice chancellor, dean, director or professor of the nominee's university can provide the nomination.

Can I submit my application offline?

No, the application should be submitted exclusively through the online portal.

Who presents the award?

The President of India presents the award during the annual conference of vice chancellors of central universities or the visitor's conference.

Is this scheme open to students?

Yes, the scheme is open to both faculty members and students.