NAFIE

National Award for Individual Excellence

6.7/10

The objective of this scheme is to recognize and encourage individuals working for the empowerment of persons with disabilities, including those covered under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

Central Composite

States / UT: All India

Ministry / nodal: Ministry Of Social Justice and Empowerment

Scheme for: Individual

Scheme profile

DBT (direct benefit transfer): No

Categories: Social welfare & Empowerment

Sub-categories: Financial assistance

Target beneficiaries: Individual

Tags: Disabilities, National Award, Divyangjan, Visual Impairment, Hearing Impairment

Details

The National Award for Individual Excellence under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, aims to recognize and encourage individuals who are working towards the empowerment of persons with disabilities, including those covered under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
Number of Awardees:

  1. Sarvashreshth Divyangjan (Most Outstanding Persons with Disabilities): 6 awards (3 male and 3 female)
  2. Shreshth Divyangjan (Outstanding Persons with Disabilities): 10 awards (5 male and 5 female)
  3. Shreshth Srijansheel Divyang Bal/Balika (Outstanding Creative Child with Disabilities): 2 awards (1 male and 1 female)
  4. Sarvashreshth Vyakti working for empowerment of Persons with Disabilities: 1 award
  5. Most Outstanding Rehabilitation Professional/Personnel in the field of disability: 1 award
  6. Most Outstanding Research/Innovation/Product Development in the field of disability: 1 award

Benefits

  • 1. Sarvashreshth Divyangjan (Most Outstanding Persons with Disabilities): Certificate medal and cash award of ₹2.00 lakh for each awardee.1. Shreshth Divyangjan (Outstanding Persons with Disabilities): Certificate medal and cash award of ₹1.00 lakh for each awardee.1. Shreshth Srijansheel Divyang Bal/Balika (Outstanding Creative Child with Disabilities): Certificate medal and cash award of ₹1.00 lakh for each awardee.1. Most Outstanding Person working for the empowerment of Persons with Disabilities: Certificate medal and cash award of ₹1.00 lakh.1. Most Outstanding Rehabilitation Professional/Personnel in the field of disability: Certificate medal and cash award of ₹1.00 lakh.1. Most Outstanding Research/Innovation/Product Development in the field of disability: Certificate medal and cash award of ₹1.00 lakh
  1. Sarvashreshth Divyangjan (Most Outstanding Persons with Disabilities): Certificate, medal, and cash award of ₹2.00 lakh for each awardee.1. Shreshth Divyangjan (Outstanding Persons with Disabilities): Certificate, medal, and cash award of ₹1.00 lakh for each awardee.1. Shreshth Srijansheel Divyang Bal/Balika (Outstanding Creative Child with Disabilities): Certificate, medal, and cash award of ₹1.00 lakh for each awardee.1. Most Outstanding Person working for the empowerment of Persons with Disabilities: Certificate, medal, and cash award of ₹1.00 lakh.1. Most Outstanding Rehabilitation Professional/Personnel in the field of disability: Certificate, medal, and cash award of ₹1.00 lakh.1. Most Outstanding Research/Innovation/Product Development in the field of disability: Certificate, medal, and cash award of ₹1.00 lakh.

Eligibility

  1. The applicant should be an individual with a benchmark disability of 40% or more as per the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (for specified categories).
  2. The applicant can self-nominate or be nominated by another person for only one category of award.
  3. The applicant should not have received any National Award from the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in the past 5 years.
  4. The applicant must be above 18 years of age for Most Outstanding and Outstanding Persons with Disabilities categories.
  5. For the Creative Child with Disabilities category, the applicant should be up to 18 years of age.
  6. Eligible disability categories include locomotor disability, visual impairment, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, and other specified disabilities.
  7. For other categories (empowerment, rehabilitation, research/innovation), any individual (with or without disability) can apply or be nominated, subject to eligibility conditions.

How useful is this scheme?

Public benefit analysis

A practical look at this scheme for citizens

AI-generated insights showing how useful, accessible, and practical this scheme may be — combining deterministic scoring rules with a public-policy LLM analyst.

6.7
/ 10
Public Benefit Score
Accessibility 5.0/10 Moderate
Rural usefulness 5.0/10 Moderate
Application complexity 3.5/10 Good
Financial impact 9.0/10 Good
Literacy barrier 5.0/10 Moderate
Women inclusivity 7.0/10 Good
Awareness 7.5/10 Good
Implementation reliability 7.0/10 Good
Bigger shape means a better fit for citizens
  • Accessibility5.0
  • Financial impact9.0
  • Rural utility5.0
  • Awareness7.5
  • Simplicity6.5
  • Inclusivity7.0

What problem does this scheme solve?

The scheme recognizes individuals working for the empowerment of persons with disabilities, promoting inclusivity and support.

Key challenges addressed

  • Encourages empowerment of persons with disabilities
  • Recognizes contributions of individuals in disability advocacy

Most beneficial for

  • Individuals with disabilities
  • Advocates for disability rights

Likely challenges

  • Limited awareness among potential applicants
  • Complex application process for some individuals

Practical insights for citizens

Practical for urban applicants but challenging for rural individuals due to digital barriers

Rural challenges

  • Limited internet access
  • Lack of awareness about the scheme

Digital challenges

  • High digital dependency for application process

Implementation bottlenecks

  • Need for more outreach and awareness programs

Awareness challenges

  • Low visibility in rural areas

Application analysis

Application mode
Online portal
Documents burden
Minimal documentation required
Verification complexity
Moderate
Office dependency
None
DBT dependency
No
CSC support
Limited
Estimated citizen effort
Moderate effort required to complete application

Estimated beneficiary reach

  • Rural / urban reach Moderate
  • Gender reach Inclusive

Benefit analysis

Benefit type
Composite
Benefit frequency
One-time award
Benefit practicality
High for recognized individuals
Financial meaningfulness
Moderate due to varying award amounts
Long-term impact
Encourages ongoing advocacy and support for disability rights

Plain-language guidance

This scheme awards individuals who help empower people with disabilities. It recognizes their hard work and contributions.

Who should apply
Individuals with disabilities or those working in disability advocacy.
Who may struggle
First-time applicants and those with limited digital skills.
Best application route
Apply via the official online portal.

This intelligence section is generated by an AI policy analyst combined with rule-based scoring. Scores and narrative are estimates derived from the publicly available scheme information shown on this page; actual experience may vary by state, district, and department. Always confirm details on the official portal before you apply.

Application Process

Online

Registration:
Step 1: Visit the official website and click on the Registration button.
Step 2: Select your category: Individual or Organization.
Step 3: Fill in the required details:
Individual: Name, Date of Birth, Nominator Type, Mobile, Email, Aadhaar Number.
Organization: Type, Authorized Person Name, Date of Birth, Organization Description, Designation, Mobile, Email, Aadhaar Number.
Step 4: Click Submit to complete registration.
Apply:
Step 1: Log in to the portal using your registered credentials.
Step 2: Select the scheme from the list of awards and click "Nominate / Apply Now".
Step 3: Fill in all mandatory fields in the online application form.
Step 4: Click Submit to complete your application.

Clarifications

Additional points from the scheme information published on myScheme (not legal advice).

What is the purpose of the National Award for Individual Excellence?

The award recognizes and encourages individuals working for the empowerment of persons with disabilities under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

The award recognizes and encourages individuals working for the empowerment of persons with disabilities under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.

Any eligible individual with a benchmark disability of 40% or more, or those working in the field of disability empowerment, may apply or be nominated

What are the age criteria for applicants?

Individuals for Sarvahresth Divyangjan and Shresth Divyangjan must be above 18 years. Creative child awards are for children up to 18 years.

Can someone apply for multiple categories?

No, an applicant can be nominated for only one category in a given year.

No, an applicant can be nominated for only one category in a given year.

Locomotor disability, visual impairment, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, and any other specified disability listed in the RPwD Act, 2016.

Is there a cash prize for the award?

Yes. Sarvahresth Divyangjan: ₹2,00,000; Other categories: ₹1,00,000 each, along with a medal and certificate.

How many awards are given in total?

There are multiple awards: 6 for Sarvahresth Divyangjan, 10 for Shresth Divyangjan, 2 for Creative Child, and one each for other professional/research categories.

Is proof of achievements required?

Yes, supporting documents or evidence validating the nominee’s contribution is mandatory.

Who selects the awardees?

The National Selection Committee makes the final selection based on recommendations from Screening Committees.

References

Guidelines
https://awards.gov.in/Home/AwardLibrary
Website
https://depwd.gov.in/en/brief-about-national-awards/

Apply

Apply now

Opens the official application or programme portal in a new tab. If in doubt, confirm details on the ministry site.

Frequently asked questions

What is the purpose of National Award for Individual Excellence?
National Award for Individual Excellence is a government welfare initiative designed to support Individual, Individual through benefits related to Social welfare & Empowerment, financial assistance, subsidies, social welfare, healthcare, education, or livelihood support.
Who can apply for National Award for Individual Excellence?
Eligibility for National Award for Individual Excellence may depend on factors such as income category, age, gender, occupation, state of residence, social category, and government-defined beneficiary criteria.
What benefits are offered under National Award for Individual Excellence?
Benefits under National Award for Individual Excellence may include financial assistance, subsidies, scholarships, insurance support, healthcare benefits, pension support, training assistance, or welfare services depending on the scheme guidelines.
Which department manages National Award for Individual Excellence?
National Award for Individual Excellence is managed by Ministry Of Social Justice and Empowerment and may be implemented through district offices, online portals, CSC centres, banks, or authorised government agencies.
Can users apply online for National Award for Individual Excellence?
Yes, eligible applicants may be able to apply online for National Award for Individual Excellence through official government portals, authorised service centres, or digital application systems depending on the implementation process.
Is Aadhaar mandatory for National Award for Individual Excellence?
Many government schemes may require Aadhaar verification, identity proof, or linked bank account details for beneficiary validation and direct benefit transfer processing.
Where can users apply for National Award for Individual Excellence?
Applications for National Award for Individual Excellence may be submitted through government departments, official scheme portals, CSC centres, district offices, welfare departments, or authorised service centres.
What documents may be required for National Award for Individual Excellence?
Applicants may need Aadhaar card, income certificate, residence proof, bank account details, caste certificate, photographs, educational records, or occupation-related documents depending on scheme eligibility requirements.
Is National Award for Individual Excellence a central government scheme?
Yes, National Award for Individual Excellence is a central government welfare initiative that may be implemented across multiple states through authorised departments and agencies.
Can CSC centres help users apply for National Award for Individual Excellence?
Many government schemes may be accessible through nearby CSC centres, authorised digital service centres, or welfare facilitation offices.
How can users check the latest updates for National Award for Individual Excellence?
Users should verify official notifications, department announcements, application deadlines, and eligibility updates through authorised government portals or implementing agencies.
Can beneficiaries track application status for National Award for Individual Excellence?
Certain schemes may provide online application tracking, beneficiary verification systems, or status-check facilities through official portals.
Where can users get help for National Award for Individual Excellence in All India?
Users in All India may seek assistance through CSC centres, district welfare offices, government departments, agriculture offices, social welfare departments, or authorised facilitation centres.
Which nearby public services may help with National Award for Individual Excellence applications?
Depending on the scheme, users may require support from Aadhaar centres, CSC centres, banks, hospitals, post offices, or government welfare offices for document verification and application assistance.